Joan Mir targets another strong result while Takaaki Nakagami makes his factory debut as Honda faces the iconic Mugello circuit in MotoGP 2025 Round 9.
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As MotoGP roars into Round 9, the passion and pageantry of the Italian Grand Prix await at the legendary Mugello Circuit. For Honda, the stage is ready for both redemption and development.
After a determined ride to seventh at Aragon, Joan Mir arrives in Tuscany with renewed momentum and a point to prove. The 2020 World Champion has steadily clawed back confidence this season, finally turning his promising pace into Sunday results. Mugello, with its sweeping corners and high-speed straight, offers a new challenge – but also an opportunity. Having finished on the podium here in 2021, Mir knows the rhythm of the track and is ready to push the RC213V into the fight for top Honda honours once again.
“It’s a great circuit to ride and I am sure the battle there will be very tight,” said Mir. “We’ve made steps, and now it’s about keeping that consistency and pushing where we can be strong.”
In a surprising twist, Mir won’t be alone in the Repsol garage. Takaaki Nakagami makes his factory team debut this weekend, stepping in for the recovering Luca Marini. Wearing HRC Castrol colours, Nakagami brings both experience and valuable test data to the grid. The Japanese rider has been a key figure in Honda’s ongoing development project and now gets a rare shot to translate that groundwork into race-day feedback. His best Mugello result – a fifth in 2019 – shows he knows his way around the Italian hills.
“I’m honoured to join the factory Honda team. We’ve done a lot of testing in Japan, but now the focus shifts to racing,” Nakagami shared. “Let’s see what we can learn this weekend and how I can help.”
Meanwhile, Luca Marini continues to recover after missing Aragon. While we have yet to confirm the return date, Marini remains in close contact with the team and is undergoing regular assessments.
For Honda, Mugello marks more than just another race – it’s a chance to measure progress in real time. With one eye on results and another on the future of their machine, the Italian GP is a proving ground for both riders and bike alike.
As the European leg of the season intensifies, all eyes will be on Honda’s duo – the rebounding World Champion and the ever-reliable test ace – as they take on one of MotoGP’s most treasured temples of speed.
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