Johann Zarco explains Malaysian MotoGP Practice pace: “We tried things which helped me”
Johann Zarco had a resurgence in Practice at the Malaysian MotoGP, finishing second-fastest on Friday.
Johann Zarco was back to competitiveness at the Malaysian MotoGP, setting the second-fastest time in Practice at Sepang.
Zarco has only scored on top-10 finish since he was second at the British Grand Prix in May, and since the summer break he has been left behind by the Honda HRC Castrol riders.
But in Sepang the Le Mans winner was back at the front – second-fastest, and 0.019 seconds behind first-placed Pedro Acosta.
“So happy because it was so good to play with this weather,” Johann Zarco said, speaking to MotoGP.com after two rain-affected practices in Sepang.
“We had to do the first time attack very early in the session and I did a good lap time.
“Then it started to rain and I was thinking ‘Maybe it’s going to be enough’, but as soon it started to dry we had to push for another time.
“I’m so happy that I got again huge improvements, which was very important to do because with the first lap time I wouldn’t have qualified [for Q2].
“So, it’s pretty important to get back to a decent level with better confidence on the bike, because in the last races I was losing my confidence on the bike.
“Today, we have tried other things which have helped me to get better.
“I hope tomorrow I will do a great qualifying and keep working on these good feelings that I got today.”
Zarco put his improvement compared to recent races down to the Sepang circuit.
“Malaysia is a track I like,” he said, “plus it’s a track where we have a lot of laps during the winter test.
“So, it always helps to make a kind of reset.
“But, clearly, we have to play a lot with the setup to bring something new to my feeling.”
Zarco was one of two Hondas in the top-10 in Practice, and could’ve been one of three had things gone slightly differently for Luca Marini.
For the Frenchman, it was a result which confirmed the progress Honda has made since the summer break, as had been previously demonstrated by Marini and Joan Mir in the factory team.
“The progress of Honda we can see since August with all the great results of Luca [Marini] and Mir,” the LCR Honda rider said.
“So, it’s a good confirmation here in Malaysia.
“We cannot compare the lap time [to the preseason test] because the grip of the track is very different from the winter test, but compared to the other bikes now we can put the Hondas into the top-10.”
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