Mir was "mentally collapsed" after recent MotoGP races

The outgoing world champion has endured a difficult title defence in 2021 owing to the Suzuki’s lack of development compared to its rivals, with Mir scoring just five podiums so far.

The recent races at COTA and the second Misano round were particularly difficult for Mir, who finished eighth in America and crashed out on lap two of the latter having qualified a lowly 18th.

After a strong Friday at the Algarve GP, in which he was fourth overall, Mir revealed he was mentally burnt out after the last two races and took a week off of training for the first time since December last year.

“It’s difficult because I remember that after Misano I stayed one week off because I needed it, I needed to take again good batteries,” Mir said.

“For you maybe it sounds normal, one week off, but for me it’s a long time that I stay off training and motorbikes.

“So, it’s like this from December last year that I didn’t stay off training for one week.

“So, it’s because I needed it, I was mentally a bit collapsed after two difficult grands prix in a row.

“After that break to come back here and be again competitive means it’s fine.

“It’s only the first day but I feel again charged and fully ready to make a good weekend, motivated, and that’s the important thing.”

Joan Mir, Team Suzuki MotoGP

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Mir says his burnout was a result of pressure he put on himself to train harder after his championship win last season, and notes that taking more regular resting periods is something he needs to work on.

“When I won last year, we finished the season in Portimao and on Tuesday I was training motocross,” he added.

“Mentally the title gave me extra motivation to try to repeat again and to be more hungry.

“This is pressure that I put on myself, and that’s why normally I don’t feel pressure from the outside because normally my [own] pressure is much higher.

“But then I stayed one week off in December, but then I always trained and mentally I was only focusing on trying to improve, to be better.

“The end of the season is coming and I needed that week off to try to disconnect a little bit more and to try to make the last two races in my best performance. It’s something I happened.

“So, it’s important to be really good on the training, to always train well, but also it’s really good to rest. It’s as important as training, so in that area I have to improve a bit more.”