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Johann Zarco, competing in the MotoGP’s non-European tour, made a remarkable impression on the first day of the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika. With a clear goal of breaking into the top 10 of the overall standings, the French rider wasted no time in finding his pace on Friday. Surprisingly, his performance aboard a developing Honda motorcycle has been quite impressive. This observation mirrors what was witnessed at Misano, where Zarco highlighted the positive impact of the recent upgrades made to his bike, as he discussed with our colleagues at Motorsport.
Aiming for Consistency and Improvement
“We have made significant improvements in terms of turning and stability in fast corners, which is incredibly beneficial,” he reflected. “The performance in Misano was commendable, and we made good strides there, but everyone was exceptionally strong. The track conditions were ideal, allowing all riders to excel. Here, the track isn’t as favorable as Misano, but I knew we had a better chance to compete for a place in Q2 and secure a strong position.”
Building on a Productive Start
“We have better features on the bike now, enabling us to experiment with various setups. However, it requires a bit of time to adapt when switching tracks. This morning, I was surprised by my performance, perhaps because the front of the bike felt responsive here. It could be that other bikes perform exceptionally well but lack that front-end feeling, whereas ours felt quite good.” Zarco is keen to maintain the momentum he built during the promising first day, and he expressed his pleasant surprise at the level he showcased throughout Friday. “It exceeded my expectations; that’s pretty exciting. I hope to replicate this performance tomorrow and maybe even do better for a solid chance at a good sprint race,” he stated. “We are working with the same bike as in Misano, but now we need to focus more on what feels like a new motorcycle.”
Embracing the Development Journey
“We are significantly behind the leading bikes, and this necessitates a developmental phase. We must accept that we cannot make minor modifications and fine-tune our feelings yet. Right now, we are just trying to find a solid base. Fortunately, today the base is much improved compared to the start of the year, which is encouraging for us.” The French rider concluded, expressing his desire to continue building on the successes he achieved during the opening day of testing.
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In Summary
Johann Zarco, partaking in the MotoGP’s international segment, created a buzz during the inaugural day of the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika. The Frenchman is determined to maintain his positive trajectory following a successful first day.
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