Johann Zarco explains why he’s not using Honda’s new MotoGP parts
Johann Zarco has chosen to step back from the full package of new Honda MotoGP parts.
Johann Zarco stepped back from some of the latest Honda MotoGP parts at Phillip Island to try and regain confidence with the RC213V.
The Le Mans winner has only broken the grand prix top ten once since his Silverstone podium and is now just eight points clear of Luca Marini in the world championship standings.
Marini and HRC team-mate Joan Mir have taken the latest updates, including a new engine and swingarm, to their best Honda results. But the Frenchman, who received the full package of parts later, is yet to feel comfortable.
“I’m not using the new bike - all the package of the new bike – because I didn’t have time to set it up well,” Zarco said at Phillip Island on Saturday.
“The base set up for the new bike doesn’t work. I lost confidence.
“I tried to build it back with the old, or an in-between, machine, waiting to maybe have more stability in the garage with two same bikes, to test some different set-ups and use the full new package (again later).
“There is good potential with the new parts, and we can see Marini is controlling it well. He found the right things in it, and he’s doing well. This is positive, and I’m sure we can also do well.
“[But] at the moment we’re putting the new bike on the side, to get back the good confidence and a bit more speed because we can see I was back to something acceptable.”
Zarco finished twelfth in the Sprint, directly behind the top Honda of Mir.
However, his grand prix came to an early end with a fast accident at Turn 1.
“Such a pity for this crash, the first corner is not a good place to crash! I got some wobble on the brakes and missed the apex and being a bit wide with the wind the bike started to slide,” he explained.
Zarco confirmed he will have two bikes with the same (older) spec in Malaysia.
“Now we go to Malaysia and try to reset a bit the work in the box, having two same bikes, to clear a bit all that we have done lately.
“We’ll try to start with a better base to make my performance come back. But the top ten was possible today.”
The Malaysian MotoGP starts on Friday morning.
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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.
