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Mir says first Moto2 test was "love at first sight"

Moto3 world champion Joan Mir says his first experience of the Marc VDS-run Kalex Moto2 bike he will ride next year was like "love at first sight".

Joan Mir, Marc VDS

Joan Mir, Marc VDS

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Joan Mir, Marc VDS
Joan Mir, Leopard Racing
Joan Mir, Marc VDS
Joan Mir, Leopard Racing
Joan Mir, Marc VDS
Podium: Joan Mir, Leopard Racing
Joan Mir, Marc VDS
Joan Mir, Marc VDS
Joan Mir, Marc VDS

Mir dominated the Moto3 class in 2017 on his Leopard Honda, taking 10 wins – the first rider to do so in a single lightweight class season since Valentino Rossi in 1997 – on his way to a maiden world title.

Signing a deal to join Moto2 champion outfit Marc VDS earlier in the year, Mir got his first taste of Moto2 machinery at a private test at Jerez last month.

A further two-day outing at Valencia saw him finish as top rookie in 12th, just 0.774s off of the pace.

Mir admits he was surprised at the way his Marc VDS team worked during the tests, but feels its "method" will serve him well during his rookie Moto2 campaign.

“The Moto3 bike was too small, but my first experience with the Moto2 bike was love at first sight,” he said.

“I am in a very good team, I have connected well with the team, I was surprised by their way of working. I did not imagine it that way. Their method is good and this will be good for 2018.”

The Spaniard has set his sights on being a frontrunner in the class as soon as possible, admitting to frustration at not consistently fighting at the sharp end in his Moto3 rookie season in 2016.

But, aware that winning the title in Moto2 could well see him graduate to the premier class, Mir insists there is "no rush" to do so.

“I want to enjoy it and fight to be at the top as soon as possible," added the Spaniard. “I don't like being behind, I got frustrated not seeing myself up front in 2016. I need that to motivate myself.

“If you win [the Moto2 title] you also go up [to MotoGP], and I prefer to be a champion to go into MotoGP.

“It would be a dream to win (in my first season), but I'm not in a rush. You have to perform well.”

Weight gains needed for Moto2

The step up from Moto3 to Moto2 will mean Mir will need to gain some weight in order to cope with the more physically demanding bike, but says this is something he finds difficult to do.

“I'm going to try and gain a kilo or two of weight, not much more because weight makes a difference in Moto2 as well," he said.

“But I find it hard to gain weight and I will have to make an effort to do it. In a few years, this won't be the case, but at the moment gaining weight for me isn't easy."

Additional reporting by German Garcia Casanova and Carlos Guil Iglesias

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