Honda confirms Jake Dixon will replace Mir in Qatar

Honda has confirmed that Jake Dixon will replace Joan Mir in the factory team for the Qatar Grand Prix, partnering Luca Marini. Mir will miss the race as he continues recovering after dizziness and vision problems returned during his Malaysian Grand Prix comeback. Mir had missed four races between Austria and Australia because of health issues before returning at Sepang. He retired from Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix after his symptoms recurred. Honda said he continues his recovery; the company has not confirmed when he will return to racing. Dixon, a British rider who competes for Honda’s factory World Superbike team, will make his first MotoGP appearance since 2021. He made two starts that year as a substitute for Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha SRT, finishing 19th at Silverstone and failing to finish at Aragon. The Qatar appearance brings Dixon back to the premier class after his Moto2 career, during which he recorded seven race wins between 2019 and 2025. He moved to Honda’s World Superbike project this season, but injuries affected his campaign. Dixon thanked Honda for the opportunity and said he would approach the weekend steadily, taking it step by step. He also...