Zarco: Marc the win, me the podium

Johann Zarco may have finished testing at lunchtime on the final day in Thailand, but it took until the final minutes for Dani Pedrosa to finally displace the satellite star from the top of the timesheets.

The Frenchman set what at the time was only the second sub 1m 30s lap of the week at 12:40pm. It remained unbeaten until Pedrosa skimmed under it by 0.086s at 4:56pm.

By that time Zarco and the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team had already packed up and left the circuit.

Speaking in the paddock just after lunch, while still fastest, Zarco said:

"A positive day. Competitive. Yesterday also, but when I had to do the very fast lap time yesterday, my limit was at 1m 30.3. Today five tenths faster means we did some improvement on the bike, and I'm so happy that I can ride it all the time better and better, and it's working well."

Zarco set his best lap time using a medium front and soft rear, even though new, harder, tyres are expected for October's grand prix after some riders suffered chunking issues.

"We were playing with the really soft tyres and it's helping for the lap time. I wanted to play with it, even if we will not have this kind of tyre in October, because pushing the bike at this limit gives us information, I think the balance of the bike is good to be at this pace.

" So it will help us to be good or to start at a good level in Qatar, start the season also at a good level."

But the double Moto2 world champion was quick to highlight the difference between a single lap and race pace, for which - as at Sepang - Honda's world champion Marc Marquez looked to have the upper hand.

"Lap time and race are a different story. I had also quite a good time with used tyres. But to do the start, fight with your opponents, and then do 26 laps in a row, this I didn't do in the three days, and this changes a lot the story.

"Looks like I can be close to the podium or on the podium, I would say. For the victory, I see Marc much stronger and he can even play more with the bike and be faster every lap than me.

"So just thinking about victory, I say at this test, Marc. And about myself, able to be on the podium."

Zarco's final day form was in stark contrast to factory Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales, who were struggling to break into the top ten.

"I don't know," shrugged Zarco, when asked what they could learn from his approach. "Each one has his own way to go. And me, my second year in MotoGP, I'm just keeping the smile. I enjoy, and that's the main thing."

Back on the 2016 chassis, with which he enjoyed a stunning rookie season, Zarco's super smooth style is reminiscent of Jorge Lorenzo at Yamaha. That's no coincidence, with Zarco sure it's the best technique for the M1.

"I'm still convinced of that, because Lorenzo was so fast. Even with the Ducati in Malaysia he did the lap record. That means the Ducati is good, but it means also the rider is good.

"On the Yamaha, he was many times at this level. Maybe at the moment he didn't find this here in Thailand. But it's the way to go fast, and I think he's the one to have like the perfection, so I'm trying to understand this."