From comeback to fresh alarm: Joan Mir sidelined at Sepang, with Qatar now in serious doubt

Joan Mir retired after just 9 laps in the Malaysian GP at Sepang: the problems that had sidelined him for several races have returned, and his participation in the next round is now in serious doubt.

He has only just returned after missing several GPs due to health problems, and Joan Mir was forced to pull out of today's race for the same reason. His condition seemed to have improved—in fact, the weekend had gone very well up to that point. But then came the worst-case scenario his doctors had warned him about, also due to Malaysia's climate: dizziness, along with the return of vision problems. As a result, the Honda rider returned to the pits and retired early for his own safety. His participation in the November 6–8 round in Qatar is therefore in serious doubt. What if it happens again? A decision will be made in the coming days.

The nature of the health problem is unclear; the Spanish Honda rider has never gone into detail, but it is certainly a worrying situation. "If I had felt even the slightest dizziness, given the heat and these very difficult conditions, I would have had to stop," Joan Mir explained, as reported by Motosan. "I started feeling a little weak on lap nine, I wasn't in control of the situation, so I decided to stop." The next race is indeed coming up next weekend, with the much-discussed trip to Qatar.

"We know the situation there isn't ideal. If we go, it won't be because we want to." Still, he is frustrated that all the effort he put into returning as soon as possible was undone by feeling unwell after just a few laps. "Right now, I'm thinking about myself, and I'm a little disappointed because I've worked hard to try to get back in good shape. I thought I was in better condition than I actually am." The situation will need to be monitored closely, and he may have to miss another race next weekend for health reasons.

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