First flag-to-flag MotoGP race an ‘intense and crazy experience’ - Mir

Joan Mir finished his first ever flag-to-flag MotoGP race in P4 following a last lap which saw him gain 8 positions. 

Unlike the week before - first of two races at the Red Bull Ring - Mir seemed to be lacking pace in the dry to challenge for a podium.

But as was the case with eventual race winner Brad Binder, late rain allowed Mir to close up on the leading four riders, before the Suzuki rider got ahead of Fabio Quartararo on the same lap they pitted for a bike swap. 

After filtering out in P13, Mir charged through the dry tyre runners on the final lap to claim fourth and therefore reduce the championship gap between he and Quartararo (finished P7) for a second consecutive week. 

"Today I completed my first ever bike swap in a race, and it was a really intense and crazy experience!" said Mir. 

"I was trying to decide the best time to head into the pits, I was weighing up the risk versus reward of slicks or wets, and then all my closest rivals decided to go in so I went with them. 

"It turned out to be a good choice, because the track became very wet and slippery. The last part of the race was quite funny and strange because I don’t think anyone knew the real results until after the flag. 

"It was also a little scary because there were riders everywhere, all on different tyres, it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

"My feeling in the dry was OK, but I didn’t have as much traction as usual and we’ll need to analyse why. 

"At first I thought I could win if I stayed out on the dry set-up, but that wouldn’t have been a sensible decision and I’m glad to bring home decent points and an important fourth place."

Mir’s team-mate Alex Rins wasn’t as fortunate with his decision to box as he could only manage 14th. 

Rins made a much earlier call along with Jack Miller to head down pit lane - two laps too early. 

Rins added: "I think Jack [Miller] and I made a big mistake going into the box quite early. The worst thing is that going out of pit lane it was not raining the next two laps. For this it was the mistake. 

"Before entry on the box we were there fighting for the top ten. For sure not our best day, not our best race track, not our best result, but let’s try to think about the next race in Silverstone."