Suzuki shocked the racing world when it announced its plans of pulling out of the MotoGP after the end of the 2022 season. With two of the racing series most talented riders donning Suzuki leathers, it goes without saying that what the future holds for both Alex Rins and Joan Mir is an extremely debated topic. Speculation concerning the two riders' futures has been going around, but it's now confirmed that Honda is looking like a prospect.
It was initially assumed that both riders were to renew their contracts with Suzuki. However, with Suzuki's intentions of pulling out of the racing series all but certain, it looks like this is well and truly off the table. That said, both Rins and Mir are extremely strong additions to the already enticing rider market. Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig has confirmed that the two Spaniards have reached out to Honda to discuss prospects when it comes to their future. As is the case with most things in life, compromises must be made. Should Honda take either or both of the riders, surely, other riders will lose their seats.
Pol Espargaro, in particular, is considered to be at risk of losing his seat to Joan Mir, who, according to a report by Crash.Net, is considered as the "favorite for a second Repsol Honda seat." Puig, however, made it clear that Honda has yet to make any decisions about taking in either Mir or Rins, stating that whenever riders want to talk to Honda, Honda simply listens to what they have to say.
"I can't judge whether Mir and Rins are also talking to other manufacturers. All I know is that they contacted us," Puig said in an article published by Speedweek. “They wanted to talk, we had a few conversations with them. When drivers want to talk to Honda, Honda always listens. We respect the drivers and we have to listen to what they have to say." Furthermore, Puig emphasized that Honda isn't changing its strategy simply because Suzuki has decided to leave the series. Instead, it will simply take into consideration the availability of the two riders.
Nonetheless, there are several other opportunities for Rins and Mir from other manufacturers—Yamaha, KTM, and maybe even Aprilia stand the chance of providing either or both of them with a competitive chance in upcoming seasons. At this point, most riders have yet to confirm their contracts for the 2023 season, so the game of MotoGP racer musical chairs is far from over.
