Arm Pump In Malaysia - Joan Mir: "Surgery Is A good Option"
Categories: MotoGP
For Joan Mir, the Malaysian Grand Prix ended in a disappointing way. The Spaniard suffered from severe arm pump, which saw him drop back to 19th position.
In the early stages of the Malaysian GP, Joan Mir made up ground from 11th on the grid and was even in 4th place at one point, but then the 2020 World Champion fell back bit by bit before a big mistake in the finish dropped him to 19th and last place.
A disappointed Joan Mir after the Malaysian Grand Prix – Image provided by Motorsport Images
“It’s a shame because the team did a great job. The bike was strong, I could have been strong,” Joan Mir pointed out.
“During the race, I didn’t feel a big drop on the rear tire. So on one hand I’m happy because we showed great potential at the beginning and until the middle of the race. But then things happen that you can’t control, which makes me sad: I didn’t see it coming.”
The Spaniard suffered from a severe arm pump in the latter half of the race. A fight for better positions was thus impossible.
“It looks like compartment syndrome, so arm pump,” Mir explained. “Sepang is a demanding track where this problem can occur – but it shouldn’t be this bad. I couldn’t apply the brake properly and lost all the power in my right arm.”
Since MotoGP is heading for the final race of the season, treating the problem before Valencia seems unlikely to be happening.
However, surgery over the winter, as many riders in the field have already had to endure, is an option for Mir. He explains:
“Honestly, if you put everything together and think about why we had the problem, I think it can seriously be a good option.”
Mir won the 2020 championship title in Valencia – Image provided by Motorsport Images
For now, the Spaniard will be keen to perform well at the track he, in 2020, sealed his championship title to wrap up Suzuki’s successful stint in MotoGP.
It will be the Japanese manufacturer’s last Grand Prix after declaring its exit from MotoGP after the season. Mir will make the switch to Repsol Honda, for whom he will already ride the one-day Valencia test.
