Johann Zarco: “At Honda I could experiment, at Ducati I had pressure” – Exclusive

Having walked away from a factory KTM deal in 2019, Johann Zarco raised eyebrows when he left a title-winning Ducati for a struggling LCR Honda in 2024.

Zarco’s factory KTM dream turned sour when the six-time Tech3 Yamaha podium finisher broke into the top ten just once during his opening eleven races on the RC16.

There had also been tension over whether Zarco should adapt more to the KTM, or the KTM change to suit Zarco's smooth style.

"I was coming with the best motivation every weekend and after a few runs on the bike I was not feeling good because I was trying to solve my problems and not finding any solution. So then I didn't know what to do," Zarco said at the time.

Either way, Zarco refused to “ride only for the money”. But the decision meant he was walking out of a factory salary with no alternative seat in place for 2020: “The positive is that I'm still crazy enough to take a decision that no-one would take!” he joked.

KTM later brought the split forward to Misano, leaving Zarco on the sidelines until stepping in as an injury replacement for Takaaki Nakagami at LCR Honda.

But it was only a temporary deal and it looked like the double Moto2 world champion might be heading back to the intermediate class for 2020.

However, a MotoGP seat was found at Avintia Ducati, where Zarco began rebuilding his career with a podium and pole.

That led to a seat at Pramac, where Zarco enjoyed the best years of his premier-class career to date from 2021-2023, celebrating 16 podiums and a victory at Phillip Island.

Then came a full-time move to LCR Honda, a bike that had just been abandoned by Marc Marquez and had finished last in the 2024 constructors’ standings.

In other words, Zarco put himself back in the KTM situation of trying to extract results from a difficult package and determined to prove he was up to the task.

“That was my personal challenge,” Zarco said in an interview with Crash.net’s Lewis Duncan.

“My feeling was: since my time at KTM, I have proved to myself that I can be fast. But I haven’t proved to myself that I can be calm in tough situations.

“This was a bit my target with the Honda challenge.”

He added: “I wasn’t getting results [in 2024], it was tough, but I wasn't doubting myself like when I was at KTM, because I have more experience.

“Also, because [Honda] was my choice, I could accept the situation better.

“In the KTM time, it was a choice I accepted also because of the manager that I had. I said, ‘Okay, if you trust in the project, I trust also’… This taught me a lot.”

On track, the weaker RCV package allowed Zarco the freedom to experiment.

“I still have things to improve in my riding style and in the 2024 season, because the bike was not performing, it was an opportunity for me to try different things with my riding,” he said.

“Because if I’m 17th or 16th, more or less it’s the same. So it was an opportunity to try something.

“When I was performing with the Ducati, I was always under pressure.

“Because I knew I could - maybe not win as many races as Pecco and Martin – but do well, so I was always on the limit.

“With a Ducati, if you go from fighting for 3rd to 12th, it’s a disaster.”

Although only 17th in last year’s world championship, Zarco won praise by being Honda’s top rider and put the RCV into the top ten at Mandalika and Buriram.

The upward trend continued spectacularly in early 2025, with a dream home victory in the wet at Le Mans, then dry podium at Silverstone.

Results have dipped since but Zarco is seventh, and easily the top Honda, after ten rounds.

Like Luca Marini, Zarco’s contract expires this season.

Although the 34-year-old has signalled interest in joining the factory HRC team for 2026, he is now thought likely to continue at LCR.