LCR “was really worried” when Zarco was faster than Marquez in French MotoGP
Zarco won a dramatic French GP
LCR Honda team boss Lucio Cecchinello admits Johann Zarco being a second-per-lap faster than Marc Marquez in the wet MotoGP French Grand Prix “worried” him.
Johann Zarco was one of a handful of riders to stay on wet tyres for the start of the French GP when a large number of runners - including Marc Marquez - pitted at the end of the warm-up lap for slicks.
Surviving a collision triggered by Enea Bastianini at Turn 3 on the first lap, Zarco eventually came through to lead the grand prix on the eighth tour and would take the chequered flag almost 20 seconds clear of the field.
Marquez proved to be his nearest rival in the race, who Cecchinello admits is usually the fastest rider in wet conditions.
And the fact Zarco was able to gap him by around a second per lap made LCR “really worried” the Frenchman would make a mistake.
“I mean, the problem is the second-fastest rider was Marc Marquez,” the LCR boss told MotoGP’s After the Flag
“And normally in these conditions Marc is unbelievably fast.
“So, normally it’s the opposite - he is one second faster than everyone. The fact that we were one second faster than Marc, I mean we were really worried for some mistake.”
Zarco’s victory is the first for Honda since the 2023 Americas GP, when then-LCR rider Alex Rins was victorious.
On the decision to start on wet tyres, Cecchinello says the team constantly tracked the weather radar and was “absolutely convinced” it was the right choice, which Zarco was swayed by.
“Of course, we planned it,” Cecchinello added.
“We paid a lot of attention to look at the weather forecast evolutions, we have different radar applications.
“And then we, myself and also my crew chief were absolutely convinced that in 20 minutes the situation would change.
“And then we said to him that for us, and I also showed him the radar, and I said ‘this is coming’.
“And then I believe that he was more convinced to stay on the grid on wet tyres while most of the riders changed.”
