2020 World Champion Joan Mir tested Honda's 2027 MotoGP bike and new Pirelli tires at the Brno circuit on Monday, June 22nd. Mir, who was on the track with his teammate Luca Marini, considered Honda's decision to give factory riders this opportunity, despite the company's planned departure from the team, a sound one.
Four years of accumulated experience was reflected in the test.
Speaking about the matter throughout the Czech GP weekend, Mir believes that his four years at Honda have added significant value to this test. “Having factory riders test the bike is a smart move for Honda. Because I’ve been developing this bike here for four years; the current version is the best Honda in recent years, that’s a fact. It’s true that we haven’t been able to bring it to the level I want, but we should be able to test it and give feedback as we see fit,” he said. Mir is expected to be announced as the Gresini Ducati rider for the 2027 season soon.
Critical data has been collected for Pirelli.
Mir emphasized that the biggest gain from this test with experienced drivers was the data collected for the new Pirelli tire. “Providing Pirelli with as much information as possible is also extremely important. The more drivers who participate in the test, the more we contribute to Pirelli getting the tires ready for next year,” Mir said, adding that he didn't think drivers who didn't participate would be at a disadvantage. “Given the level of today's drivers, they adapt to everything very quickly. The real advantage is for Pirelli, because they get high-quality data from fast drivers,” he said.
Miller's application was rejected: "Because there's no name."“
Pramac Yamaha rider Jack Miller, from Australia, was among those excluded from the Brno test. Miller, whose inclusion in the 2027 MotoGP lineup seems unlikely, expressed his frustration at the rejection of his test offer. “The reason is that my name wasn’t on the list. They didn’t see the need,” said Miller, emphasizing that he has always accepted any test for the team and acted professionally throughout his time with Yamaha. “I never refused a test, I let my teammates follow me, I tried to be as clear as possible. If you don’t value that, then fine,” he added. It was reported that the media was kept away from the Brno test area ahead of Sunday’s Czech GP, resulting in limited information for the club.