Johann Zarco accidentally sets lap record in training for MotoGP
Honda rider sets unexpected record in preparation for racing
Johann Zarco went even faster than planned in training for the upcoming MotoGP season.
The LCR Honda rider was at the Alcarras circuit, in Catalunya, getting in some preparation.
His 31.6s effort was a welcome surprise when he returned to the pitlane.
He revealed: “I came for a relax training… it turns out I got the lap record!
“Always nice to mark a moment like this.”
Zarco went seventh and 16th-fastest at the two-day Buriram preseason test.
Notably, factory Honda riders Luca Marini and Joan Mir each placed P6 on the two days.
Last year, Zarco was so often Honda’s most impressive rider in his first campaign with the manufacturer.
In 2025, he enters MotoGP as the oldest rider on the grid but is still key to Honda’s development.
Desperate to improve their bike from being the worst on the grid, as it was last year, Zarco’s experience must be harnessed.
The season begins with the Thailand MotoGP on February 28-March 2.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
