Honda has officially announced that Jake Dixon will step in for Joan Mir at the factory HRC team for this weekend’s Qatar MotoGP. Currently competing in the World Superbike Championship for Honda’s HRC project, Dixon joins a list of Honda substitute riders this season, including Cal Crutchlow, Takaaki Nakagami, Aleix Espargaro, and his own teammate Somkiat Chantra.
Dixon previously made two MotoGP appearances with Petronas Yamaha SRT during his 2021 Moto2 tenure. Now, he will aim to score his first premier-class points riding the factory RC213V alongside teammate Luca Marini at Lusail. Joan Mir had returned to racing last weekend in Sepang after experiencing vision issues caused by fatigue but had to withdraw mid-race due to renewed dizziness.
Jake Dixon expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, calling it a dream come true to race for Honda’s factory MotoGP team, a dream he’s had since childhood. He acknowledged it had been some time since he last raced a MotoGP bike and emphasized a cautious, step-by-step approach for the weekend. Dixon also wished Mir a speedy recovery, relating to the challenges Mir has faced this year. A former seven-time Moto2 race winner between 2019 and 2025, Dixon’s rookie WorldSBK season was interrupted by injury, although he did manage a best finish of sixth place.
Fan Take:
This development is exciting for racing fans eager to see fresh talent perform on factory machinery in MotoGP. Dixon’s return to the premier class not only highlights the depth of Honda’s rider pool but could also inject new energy and competition into the grid as the season progresses.
Source: www.crash.net
