Johann Zarco breaks top ten for Honda: “We will see in Motegi”

Johann Zarco gave Honda its first MotoGP top ten since Marc Marquez at Buriram 2023 with ninth place at Mandalika on Sunday.

Although Zarco benefitted from accidents ahead, it was the culmination of a competitive weekend for the Frenchman, who qualified a season-best seventh and finished eighth in the Sprint.

The setback of a poor start to the grand prix was quickly reversed when four riders collided ahead of him at the Turn 3, although the LCR rider still finished the first lap in eleventh place.

“I’m happy!” said Zarco. “We are missing time at the start. We know it and we cannot do anything at the moment. But then I saw Jack and [Vinales] already fighting lot. I could be closer to them on turn 3, but I got a feeling to be a bit careful. When they all crashed, I said ‘OK, I got this advantage. Try to catch the group in front of me’.”

Zarco overtook Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo on the following lap, but couldn’t shake them off and the trio - plus KTM’s Brad Binder - battled for most of the race over what became sixth place.

“I could not overtake very quick the other riders. Maverick was struggling a bit at the beginning. Then also Brad. But it was so difficult because this lack of acceleration on the exit of the corner, even if I was feeling good on braking, I could not overtake - especially Brad who is a really good guy on brakes,” Zarco explained.

“Fabio Quartararo arrived, and he could overtake me, overtake Brad and go. When I got by Brad, I did good lap times hoping maybe I can catch Fabio and make a break from Brad.”

Zarco was between Quartararo and Binder as the last lap began, but couldn’t hold off the South African.

“I tried to control Brad and push on the last lap to keep him behind, but he attacked me. I tried to attack again but he was managing well. Plus I was already happy with my position. So I take this top 10.

“It was a good opportunity from Friday, it seems this track can match for us and I'm happy that I took the opportunity on Saturday and on Sunday.”

Zarco, who said he had already been thanked by “many Japanese [staff]” after the Sprint race, credited his own braking gains plus added performance from the latest Honda fairing for his results.

But he also believes the circuit played to their strengths and warned that acceleration issues remain. As such, he is curious to see how the RC213V performs in front of the HRC bosses in Japan this weekend.

“Now let's see at Motegi,” Zarco said. “Clearly I have motivation and confidence and more happiness now to go on the bike knowing that I'm feeling good on braking, but also knowing that in Motegi there are brakes and accelerations.

“So we will see now if this weak point of acceleration really costs us a lot in Motegi or not.

“On this track, if you analyse the layout, you have this [acceleration] problem only on the main straight. All the rest is quite flowing, and maybe that's why - also with the new fairing - I was able to stay with the others and do good lap times.

“So we will see if this this problem of acceleration costs a lot of time in Motegi. But I think the layout here was helping plus also this different tyre, this hard front tyre was working well for us.”

While Motegi will be a “good exercise” for their strengths and weaknesses, Zarco confirmed his performance on a flowing layout could be a positive sign for the round after at Phillip Island.

LCR team-mate Takaaki Nakagami finished eleventh on Sunday, which became twelfth and last after a tyre-pressure penalty. Repsol Honda riders Luca Marini and Joan Mir were both caught up in the first lap accident.

Zarco now has a six-point advantage over Nakagami for 17th in the world championship and top Honda rider.