When he finished the 2024 MotoGP season with Honda, Johann Zarco did not expect things to happen in the first five innings of the current championship. However, after five competition weekends and ten tests, the Frenchman occupies seventh place in the pilot ranking, behind Fabio Quartararo.
Together, the two French people are for the moment the two best non-Ducati pilots of the grid, the brand of Borgo Panigale with representatives in the first five places in the table.
Just before leaving for Le Mans, where he will play his home race, Johann Zarco took stock of his start to the season by publishing a video on his Instagram account. In this debriefing, the Cannois does not fail to describe his surprise regarding the performances recorded, even if he keeps a bitter taste of some missed opportunities in sprint.
“Small summary of the first five races, Commence Johann Zarco. It went pretty well, especially on Sundays, because during sprints, it was only in Argentina where I scored points by being fourth behind Pecco. Then you have to get into the first nine, which is never easy. We also missed things a little. »»
“In Qatar, I could see the guys of the podium on almost the whole race, Recalls the tricolor. This is something that we would never have imagined last year. When I said I wanted to play the top-10 during all the shopping, I told myself that it was doable, but that it was not going to be easy. And there, it’s better. The top-10 is doable each time, and even the top-5. »»
A podium at Le Mans for Johann Zarco?
During the Spanish Grand Prix, the latest round, the Honda driver recorded his worst weekend of 2025 so far. Outside the points in sprint, he missed the top-10 on arrival for the first time of the year, still saving the few points allocated to eleventh place.
Zarco, however, claims to have learned this weekend, which will serve him for the rest of the European tour. “When returning to Europe, we had to take stock. The weekend was a little missed. I still took points with 11th place. Afterwards, there was the test, and we were able to do it a little. Better understand the technicalities of small circuits. »»
The Frenchman therefore begins to dream big for the Grand Prix de France, not hesitating to display his ambitions. “I think that for Le Mans, it can be much better gas, and we can perhaps dream of a podium. »»
The hope of seeing a Frenchman win a podium at home therefore grows a little more with these declarations. A podium in which Fabio Quartarao also believes after winning a second place in the regular in Jerez. In addition to the excellent form of the French, the Tech3 team, army of Maverick Viñales, is also delighted to defend its interests at home after solid weekends made by Spanish.
To read also> Tech3 arrives at Le Mans with great expectations for “one of the most important races”
