Zarco looking to repeat Folger feat for Tech3

Johann Zarco says he’s eager “to understands what it needs to repeat it” having been stunned by former team-mate Jonas Folger’s spectacular podium at the Sachsenring 12 months ago for Monster Yamaha Tech3.

Zarco says he could only watch on in admiration last year during the wet German MotoGP race when Folger led for huge parts of his home event before narrowly being beaten to victory by Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez but held on for a historic maiden podium.

Zarco, Folger, Catalunya MotoGP 2017
Zarco, Folger, Catalunya MotoGP 2017
© Gold and Goose

Johann Zarco says he’s eager “to understands what it needs to repeat it” having been stunned by former team-mate Jonas Folger’s spectacular podium at the Sachsenring 12 months ago for Monster Yamaha Tech3.

Zarco says he could only watch on in admiration last year during the wet German MotoGP race when Folger led for huge parts of his home event before narrowly being beaten to victory by Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez but held on for a historic maiden podium.

The French rider, who finished ninth in the same race last year, has been studying Folger’s race data from Sachsenring as he looks to emulate his former team-mate this weekend after a tricky run of races.

Since taking pole position at his home round at Le Mans before crashing out, Zarco has struggled to replicate his front-running form at the last three rounds with 10th place at Mugello, seventh place in Catalunya and eighth place last time out at Assen.

Consequently, the French rider wants to bounce back before the short summer break which follows the German round by emulating his ex-team-mate.

“Last year, I finished in ninth position and my former teammate Jonas did an incredible Grand Prix on his home track,” Zarco said. “I would like to understand what it needs to repeat it and be on the podium at the Sachsenring, which would be fantastic.

“The Sachsenring in Germany is a small track, but very interesting and very nice. Sometimes we had a lot of rain there, but even then the circuit is incredible and offers so much grip, which is even disturbing me a bit, because it’s just unbelievable how you can lean the bike in the wet. You need some time to get used to that.

“When it’s dry, I just hope it’s also warm, as we feel better like this, overall on the right side, because there are so many left corners, so the right side of the tyre is always a bit cold.”

Zarco’s new Tech3 team-mate Hafizh Syahrin has echoed his sentiments and is aiming to reclaim the top rookie tag having slipped behind Marc VDS Honda’s Franco Morbidelli after a run of two races outside of the points.

“Germany is a different track than others, it’s small and technical,” Syahrin said. “I hope I can find a good feeling with the bike like the beginning of the last round.

“I want to improve myself and try to be back inside the points scoring positions in order to fight for the top rookie spot again. I hope the weather will be nice and then we will see what happens.”

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