Johann Zarco: “Huge change, huge step” at COTA MotoGP

Starting the COTA MotoGP weekend just 20th place in Friday practice, Johann Zarco made a ‘huge’ last-minute breakthrough on Sunday morning.

The Frenchman beat his qualifying time on the way to third place behind only the factory Ducatis of Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia in the warm-up.

“Huge change, huge step”

“I'm so happy that from Saturday to Sunday we made a huge step forward. I could show it in the warm-up and then had confirmation in the race,” Zarco said.

“We did a huge change in set-up. I cannot say if we went in the direction of Joan [Mir] or Marini, but we did something that worked for me. 

"I'm so happy for that. We tested it in morning and straight away I had a better lap time than qualifying.

“This possibility to move from one set-up to another and find the performance will be so important for us for the rest of the season.”

“Good overtakes, good fights”

After the delayed race start, Zarco charged from 15th on the grid and was in the thick of a gruelling fight for fourth place, as the top Honda rider, when he crashed with three laps to go.

“Good overtakes, good fights, and I even thought I could catch Jack Miller [in fifth],” Zarco said. “Because I expected that with a used tyre, I can be better than him.

“But the fight with Aldeguer was too tough. I lost energy and time. And then Bezzecchi and Bastianini got the opportunity to pass me too.

“When I tried to close the line in Turn 12, I completely lost the rear grip. I didn't expect that. So for sure disappointed, but from where we started on Saturday, slow and with zero feeling, I've been very competitive.

“So that's the good thing of today, and a good sign for the next races.”

Despite failing to score for the first time this season, Zarco retains his position as the top Honda in the world championship, albeit dropping to seventh and only five points clear of HRC’s Luca Marini.