The fourth round of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, takes place from April 11–13 at the Lusail International Circuit. The Honda HRC Castrol team heads into the night race with riders Luca Marini and Joan Mir, aiming to build on both the challenges and progress made during the Americas GP.
Marini Continues to Set New Highs with Honda
Luca Marini, currently sitting 9th in the standings with 20 points, has already surpassed his total points haul from the 2024 season after just three rounds. Gradually adapting to the RC213V, Marini achieved his best result as a Honda rider in the Sunday main race at COTA. His consistent and methodical approach has become a valuable asset for the team’s development direction moving forward.
Mir Looks to Reclaim Stability and Confidence
Joan Mir, on the other hand, showed flashes of speed in the early rounds by making back-to-back Q2 appearances in qualifying. However, crashes during the main races have hampered his results, and he now sits 15th in the championship with 10 points. Acknowledging the need for consistency, Mir commented, “I’ve been riding well, but it doesn’t count for anything if I don’t finish races.” Rebuilding stability is now a top priority.
Team Standings and Season Outlook
Honda HRC Castrol currently holds 6th in the Teams’ Championship with 30 points, while Honda maintains 2nd in the Constructors’ standings with 36 points. With Marini and Mir’s scores closely matched, consistent point-scoring from both riders will be key to the team’s trajectory in the coming rounds.
Luca Marini:
“We’ve had a really good start to the season, and overall things are going much better than the end of 2024. Both the team and I are making progress every weekend, and I’m feeling better on the bike. Qatar isn’t an easy track, but I feel we can do much more this year than we did in last year’s season opener. The weather should also be more stable than Austin, so I want to make the most of every opportunity.”
Joan Mir:
“My goal this weekend is very simple—turn the speed we’ve shown into results. The performance is there, both from me and the bike, but crashes have ruined our races. That has to stop. Qatar has always been a good track for me, so it’s a great place to reset and fight back. I’m still hungry to compete.”
(Photo courtesy of HRC)