Zarco has not spoken to Bastianini about Mugello incident

Johann Zarco heads into this weekend’s round seven of the 2021 MotoGP world championship second in the standings and top Ducati after his fourth place finish in Mugello. 

However, Mugello could have gone so much worse for the French rider as he was hit before the race even began by Enea Bastianini who didn't see Zarco braking in front of him. 

Approaching the grid, all MotoGP riders are seen opening the throttle and braking hard to either warm the front tyre or the brakes. 

And as Zarco was doing this, Bastianini was unaware of the Pramac rider in front of him before making contact to the rear of Zarco’s Desmosedici GP-21 and crashing. 

Zarco said the two haven’t yet spoken since the incident: "I could not speak to Enea after the race. I didn’t see him. Then I took the car and go back home, to be home quite early. 

"But when we leave the last corner and arrive to the grid we are all opening the throttle and then braking quite hard to get warm the front tyre. 

"Some others maybe for warming the front brakes, but me it’s more to get ready the front tyre that will be really important on the first three corners and to don’t do any mistakes or maybe have a cold tyre and crash. 

"I was in this moment and when I brake he hit me from the back and I immediately understand who it was because I can see from the bike. 

"I was surprised and it was a very hard shock. I was really lucky nothing happened on the bike and I could race. But we could not speak together right now." 

Zarco goes into this weekend’s Catalunya race as one of a select few to have tested on a road bike at the Barcelona venue since the new turn ten was introduced.

But Zarco doesn’t believe this will lead to any advantage, as he discussed the differences of a road and MotoGP machine.

"Was in January I think when I could test here and at least I could see the new corner that was pretty interesting - the turn ten, and I prefer the turn ten in this way, this layout," added Zarco. 

"But I don’t think it will give advantage because at this moment of the season we all know pretty well our bike. 

"We can adapt immediately to the new corner because it’s not a new track, it’s just a new corner. The difference between the bike; the V4 S is so good in the torque, this is so nice because it's close to the MotoGP, so you can have some good feeling with the V Engine. 

"Then you have a nice power but you will never equal the power of the MotoGP. What is sometimes difficult for the riding is to adapt knowing you cannot brake like you can brake on the MotoGP, you cannot push the front as you can do it on the MotoGP. 

"I did so much Moto2 and road bike that I can adapt well to this feeling. Some riders only do MotoGP and then when they try the road bike they hate this feeling in the front. But this is why we are missing, I think five seconds is usually the difference or 4.5s."