Johann Zarco - 'Maybe the engine is the difference'
Johann Zarco set an all time unofficial top speed record of 352.9kph today on day one of the second official MotoGP test in Qatar.
The new Pramac rider topped the previous record set by Marc Marquez, on his way to finishing the session in fourth place.
Zarco replaced Jack Miller for the 2021 season after the Australian's move to the factory team, and both have been in impressive form so far, with Miller topping today's session.
After the day's running, Zarco said: "Pretty good day. Still working on big things and small things, and today the small things gave me a very good improvement with the feeling and the control of the bike.
"The lap time began to come, not easy, but it was coming just by riding correctly. So I've been pretty happy with this.
"And then as everyone, try to improve the lap time with the new tyre. I have this limit at 1'53.9 at the moment, just now Fabio did a really fast lap time, but compared to the first day, I didn't expect this kind of improvement for the first day."
Last year Zarco was on a year old Avintia bike, but this season the 30 year-old gets the latest Desmocedici GP21.
Asked to sum up the differences between the new and old bike, Zarco added: "I think the Pramac bike is very close with the factory team, but like last year when I can go quite fast, then Ducati uses this opportunity to confirm the new parts that they are trying in the factory team.
"They were asking if we can try it also, just to have one more confirmation if it's working or not. So we have everything planned, and we can do the plan. We can go as the plan is fixed, and that makes everything very pleasing to do."
"About the difference, as I said, I'm riding the bike better than before. I knew that I needed to restart the season with the good feeling I finished the last season with, and immediately the level is much better.
"So from this, I'm still growing up. Maybe the engine is the difference, because maybe I'm going quite fast in the straight.
Talking of the power that his Ducati possesses and going faster on the straights. That leads to the moment where Zarco broke the unofficial top speed in Qatar.
"I saw it, and I saw yesterday that after the first test, the speed was 352 by Marc [Márquez], and now I got 352.9 I think," said Zarco.
"So it was a pleasure, but I think if we have the wind at our back for the next few days, we can try to go 360 and this will be a totally new record."
