Luca Marini may have been the only Repsol Honda🔥 rider to re🐬ach the finish of Sunday’s French MotoGP at Le Mans, in last place, but he was impressed by the pace of team-mate Joan Mir.

Mir qualified 18th and crashed out of last in Saturday’s Le♎ Mans Sprint, but made a big improvement in pace during the grand 🧔prix.

While the other three Hondas set the slowest race laps, Mir managed 14th best – effectively equal with Alex Marquez’s Gresini Ducati – before he💦 crashed out of 15th place at the midway stage.

“The important thing to take away from today is the feeling that I had on the bike,” Mir said. “After yester🎐day and the [grip] issue we had, it was great to be able to make another step with the setting and have a go𝕴od pace in the race.

“I was able to confirm my feelings and I want to say thanks to the Repsol Honda Team for their work today, they provided me 🌳with a bike where I could attack.

“It’s important to remain focused on the positive, which is the pace we showed and theཧ work we are doing. Now we go to Mugello [private test] to check a few thingsꦚ.”

Marini was quick 🏅to credit Mir’s Sundayജ performance and admits he needs to replicate the former MotoGP champion’s improvements over a race weekend.

“It was another long race for us where we are working on those same areas that are troubling us,” said Marin♉i, referring to a lackꦬ of turning and acceleration with the RC213V.

“What I don’t understand is that I start Friday with a pace and I keep the same pace until Sunday. While Joan can make a huge step over a race weekend and today was doing a grea🐻t race in my opinion.

“I am missing this step a little bit so we need to understand that. I am looking forward to Mugello for the [private] test. I am sure that we can find something there and bring it into Barc🍎elona.”

Marini is yet to score points as a Honda rider, with Mir the top Honda rider,⛦ in 18th, with twelve points.

The Honda riders will have one day on track at Mugello before headi♈ng for the Catalunya round o🌱n May 24-26.