The Repsol Honda Team's 2024 season came to a close with a determined display at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Despite facing ongoing challenges, both Joan Mir and Luca Marini showcased their talent and resilience, pushing their machines to the limit in front of the passionate Spanish crowd.

Repsol Honda Riders Refuse to Back Down in Barcelona Showdown

Mir Narrowly Misses Q2 but Charges Forward in Sprint Race

Joan Mir's one-lap pace took a significant step forward in Barcelona, as the Spaniard put together one of his most competitive qualifying performances of the season. Clocking a best time of 1'39.432 in Q1, Mir missed out on a transfer spot to Q2 by a mere 0.030 seconds, a testament to the progress he and the team have made. Starting the Sprint race from 13th on the grid, Mir wasted no time in making his presence felt, charging forward to end the opening lap in ninth position.Unfortunately, the persistent vibration issues that have plagued the Repsol Honda throughout the year resurfaced, causing Mir to halt his forward progress. Despite the setback, the 24-year-old remained upbeat, focusing on the positives and the strides the team has made over the course of the season. "We have had a positive day today and that's what we need to focus on more than anything," Mir said. "We made a step forward and in Qualifying we were really competitive. I made some small mistakes on the lap which cost us Q2, but honestly it was a big boost to be that competitive after some tough races in Asia."

Marini Continues to Adapt and Improve with Repsol Honda

Luca Marini, Mir's teammate, also showed promising signs in Barcelona, narrowly missing out on a Q2 spot in the final moments of the Q1 session. Starting the Sprint race from 16th on the grid, the Italian rider followed Mir's lead, making up ground on his competitors in the opening laps. While he was unable to match Mir's charge, Marini remained focused on collecting valuable data and improving his performance for the final race of the season."I was expecting a little more from the race today, especially at the start – I wasn't able to make use of the extra grip of the tyre to attack at the start," Marini admitted. "After the first two laps, my pace was ok, we need to find more rear traction to turn more. There is work to do, but we can see that there is space to do it and we will keep on trying until the final race of tomorrow."

HRC Test Rider Bradl Continues Development Work for 2025

Rounding out the Repsol Honda contingent was Stefan Bradl, the team's test rider, who used the Barcelona weekend as an opportunity to continue the development work for the 2025 season. While his focus was not entirely on the race, Bradl remained upbeat about the progress made throughout the year and the direction the team is heading."It was another day of testing and working on a few more pieces, not focusing too much on the race today honestly," Bradl explained. "It's not the easiest thing to do with the bike always changing, but I am happy with the work that we have been able to do and it's important for 2025. We have done a lot of work this year and during the fly away races we saw some of the Honda results improve, so I think we know the direction now. Tomorrow I want to enjoy the race as much as possible before heading into the future."As the curtain falls on the 2024 MotoGP season, the Repsol Honda Team can take solace in the progress made and the resilience shown by their riders. With one more race to go, the team will be aiming to end the year on a high note, setting the stage for a renewed push in the 2025 campaign.