After two tough MotoGP races in Austin and Misano, Suzuki rider Joan Mir look𝔍ed close to his best on the opening day in Portimao.

The Spaniard was quick from the outset and able to keep pace ꦍwith Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaiaꦯ for parts of both sessions. 

Although the top two in the championship seemed to hav♐ཧe a small step on the rest, Mir wasn’t far behind as he finished fourth overall. 

"I’m quite happy about this day. We straight away felt quite ok with the bike. This made the day easier than normal," said Mir.

"I’m happy, first day done. Let’s move to tomorrow and see wh♌at happens. Let’s try to qualify the best we can. We’ll try to focus on that 2nd row, or who knows? ꦑLet’s see."  

Mir is desperately in neಞed of aꦦ good performance after no top five finishes since Aragon.

In fact, the last two rounds were so tough that he felt ‘mentally a bit c𒀰ollapsed’ and needed a full week o🎐ff.

Speaking about his recent struggles, Mir added: "It’s difficult. It’s difficult because I remember after Misano I stayed one week off because I needed it to ⭕take again good bat🎀teries. 

"For you (media), it may sound normal to have one week off. But for me it’s a long time since I stayed off training an🉐d off motorbikes. 

"It’s like this. From December last year I didn’t stay out of training for more than one week. So it’s becaus🦂e I nee🐻ded it. 

"I was mental✨ly a bit collapsed🃏 after two such difficult GPs in a row. After that break and coming back here and being competitive is fine. 

"It’s only the first day. I feel fine and fully charg﷽ed to make a good weekend. And motivated, which is the importa𝔉nt thing."

Mir, who is still in with a chance of taking second in the championship, albeit very unlikely given Bagnaia’s current form, it’s worrying too🃏 much about that possibility even though I’ll be more confident’ if it happens.  

Mir said: "As a rider I have to finish the season with the best performance 🃏possible. Now I’m focussed on these two races to do the best I c♊an. 

"If it’s enough to overtake Pecco [Bagnaia] in the standings then great. We have to be ꦿrealistic. Pecco is doing a good end of season and is the strongest one at the moment. 

"It’ll be difficult. Bu⛎t if I can finish the season with two good results, I’ll be more c🅠onfident."