Spurred on by a well-earned podium return, motivations are refreshed and higher than ever for Honda HRC Castrol as Joan Mir and Luca Marini set clear goals for the Indonesian GP – hungry to taste success again.
A home away from home, Lombok, Indonesia is always amongst the most enjoyable races of the year for Honda HRC as the millions of Indonesian Honda fans welcome the MotoGP World Championship with open arms. Now in its fourth year on the calendar, the Indonesian GP is one of the most popular races amongst fans, teams and riders for its stunning seaside location. A fast circuit with room for ambitious moves, Honda HRC are still chasing their first successes at the track.
1,421 days after his last podium, Joan Mir made an incredible return to the rostrum and broke the Honda HRC factory team’s two-year podium drought – all in front of Honda’s home crowd. Motivation could not be any higher as the #36 and team arrive in Indonesia, hungry for more in front of the passionate local fans. Despite suffering two DNFs in his last two appearances in Lombok, Mir has shown strong pace at the circuit and was challenging for the top ten in 2023. What is certain is that the 2025 Honda RC213V is a competitive machine and Mir has clearly demonstrated the speed and mentality which has brought him two World Championships to date.
Like his Honda HRC Castrol teammate, Luca Marini was competitive all weekend in Japan – robbed at the final crucial moment with a DNF through no fault of his own. His speed is there, and no doubt a first podium as a Honda HRC Castrol rider is just around the corner. Now Marini arrives at a happy hunting ground, ready to make amends and take a well-earned reward for his tireless efforts in helping to develop the Honda RC213V. On pole and on the Sprint podium in 2023, Marini has consistently shown strong performances in Indonesia in all classes and on a variety of machines.