Joan Mir labelled Honda’s latest engine "a small step in all areas" after sampling the specification used by test rider and Spanish MotoGP wild-card Aleix Espargaro during✱ Mo🦹nday’s Jerez test.

Mir, who suffered his sixth non-score of the season when he crashed out while battling for the top six in the grand pri🅺x, finished 16th ⛦on the timesheets.

“I♓t was a good day, something we needed after five races without a chance to test," Mir said.

"The w🧜ind was a little bit tricky [but] I was able to try the engine that Aleix was using.

“It’s a small step in the right direction for us. I think it offers improvements in all areas🐟, a little more power, a little more acceleꦐration."

E✅spargaro ran the new-spec engine throughout the weekend, wher🐠e he was stripped of 14th place and two points by a post-race tyre pressure penalty.

With the 2025-spec RCV battling for best of the rest behind Ducati, Mir’s priority is to ensure the engine gain felt at Jerez will carry over to other cir𝓀cuits.

“We have to be sure that 🌟this improvܫement and this engine doesn't give us any unexpected problems,” Mir explained.

“Because we are in a different situation to before 🍌– now we have an acceptable base and an acceptable performance with the current one.

“So we have to be sure that if we put this engine 🦩on [other🥂] track[s], it will be faster."

Asked if the engine provided more outright power or broader ga꧟ins, Mir confirmed:

“The character is very similar. They improved a little bit all the areas. It’s a little bit more linear, with a little biꦓt more power.

“Here at this track is not the best one to try top speed. But I would say that this is a small step in all 𝓰areas.”

Honda, like Yamaha🅠, is able to introduce new engine designs during the season due to its D concession ranking.

As such, if the data agrees with Mir’s feedback, the new design could be homologated for use during the next round at Le Mans.