Johann Zarco “back in business” despite Catalan MotoGP crash

Johann Zarco finished Sunday’s Catalan MotoGP in the gravel trap, for the second event in a row.

But while disappointed to be left pointless, the Frenchman was “back in business” in Barcelona, holding a competitive fifth at the time of his fall.

Zarco was waiting for Pedro Acosta, the only rider on the soft rear tyre, to fade when he lost control of his LCR Honda at the end of the back straight.

“A very positive race, I was feeling much stronger than yesterday, and I'm pretty happy for this,” Zarco said.

“I’m disappointed about the crash, for sure, because I was not doing anything crazy.

“After overtaking Fabio [Quartararo], I knew that I had a chance to catch the KTMs, or at least Acosta, because he was with the soft rear tyre. So it was just necessary to wait.”

But he lost the front at Turn 10 on lap 11 of 24.

“At Turn 10, it seems I touched a bump and crashed. But this is also a sensitive point of our bike, where I'm complaining a lot that some feeling is missing, and that's why the crash happened.

“But the step-up I did in the race gave me a good confidence, because I've been struggling for many races.

“I’m happy I was back in business this weekend, very competitive. I just hope I can repeat it in Misano.”

After Zarco’s exit, Luca Marini finished as the leading Honda rider, in eighth.

Zarco then joined his fellow Honda riders, plus Yamaha, in Monday's Barcelona test, where he was expected to get his first laps with the latest RC213V chassis.

The San Marino MotoGP, the home race for the LCR team, starts on Friday.