Here is some genuinely fantastic news: 2020 World Champion Joan Mir is stepping right back onto his machine for the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix. That means the Honda HRC Castrol rider is finally returning to the grid for the penultimate flyaway in 2026.
Unfortunately, the Spaniard has been forced out of action for quite a stretch. Illness kept him sidelined through the Austrian, Japanese, Indonesian, and Australian Grands Prix, having previously retired from action at Misano.
Now, he heads straight to Sepang with clear intent. Mir is hoping to recapture the strong competitive form he showed there in 2025, where he secured a podium—which remains his most recent to date.
Thankfully, the wait is almost over. We are about to see him back in the saddle very soon.
