Valentino Rossi saw black-and-white but Johann Zarco might pocket extra money…
Johann Zarco may hope for boosted Honda deal after winning at Suzuka in heat that Valentino Rossi hated
Johann Zarco’s victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours required him to master an issue which notoriously troubled Valentino Rossi.
But a second win in a row at the legendary Japanese endurance event will strengthen Honda’s faith in Johann Zarco.
He won Suzuka as a rookie in 2024 but, at the weekend, retained it for his manufacturer who place so much emphasis on the result that they wanted their standout MotoGP rider to compete again.
“It will mean a lot, especially after doing it as a two-rider team. It’s some achievement,” Peter McLaren told the Crash MotoGP podcast.
“He won last year so there was more expectation this year.
“Four hours each, a MotoGP race is less than an hour, so it’s four-times the race distance. It’s not the intensity but there are backmarkers, riding at night with headlights, and the incredible heat.
“Physically it must be so extreme to deal with.
“It’s not just a physical effect. It’s mental - you lose focus, it’s draining, you lose dexterity.
“Valentino Rossi said, years ago at Sepang, that he started seeing black and white towards the end of a race!
“All of that, during a summer break, is a massive achievement for Zarco which will go down well with Honda.
“What a year for him! He won his home grand prix on a Honda, and Suzuka on a Honda.”
Rossi was also a Suzuka 8 Hours winner on a Honda and admitted his troubles with the hot conditions.
New Honda contract for Johann Zarco?
Zarco is the oldest rider on the MotoGP grid but his stock has arguably never been higher.
He is out of contract with LCR Honda this year but is expected to pen a new deal, especially after winning the French MotoGP at Le Mans this year.
“A manufacturer like Honda will put a lot of credence into a result like this,” Lewis Duncan told the podcast.
“I don’t think it will change much of his destiny. If a deal hasn’t already been signed, then it will be imminently.
“I can’t imagine it not being at least a two-year contract, if not two-plus-one.
“We’ve seen the job he’s done at Honda. He has been the best rider for that manufacturer. Since the second half of last year, he has got their best results. He is a grand prix winner for Honda.
“Suzuka is the cherry on top, I don’t think it will be viewed as pushing the needle in terms of his standing within Honda. There is massive respect for him.”
Honda, whose project is improving in no small part thanks to Zarco’s development, were previously linked with signing Jorge Martin and Pedro Acosta, although those rumours have petered out.
But Zarco’s position within the manufacturer in 2026 was never in doubt.
“At no point has it ever been suggested that Zarco would lose out, which says a lot about where he fits into the Honda ecosystem,” Lewis Duncan continued.
“Maybe there will be an extra couple of Euros on his contract for the Suzuka win!
“You can give kudos to Honda for putting a contract in front of him, in the first place. And fair play to him for stepping away from the best bike on the grid to the worst, and doing something with it.”
In this article
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
