Johann Zarco having already explained to us the genesis of his very wonderful initiative during the first part of this interview, he now comes to the advantages of the Cartagena circuit itself.
The French driver already knew it having driven there in January of this year and last year. The route is balanced and quite complete, with a lot of braking on the corner, some elevation and even a sloping curve.
As outside observers, we were particularly impressed by the rhythmic setting of
Johann Zarcoalmost as fast as in the Grand Prix, while in the morning the temperatures were around a dozen degrees in the air. Basically, one lap was enough for him to understand the grip of the track and attack the next pass. In this area, the two pilots MotoGP et
Moto2, Johann Zarco et Barry Baltusmade the difference compared to the others.
For the rest, Johann Zarco explains to you himself what such riding can bring on a production motorcycle, before addressing other facets, and this Spanish experience, and the news of the MotoGP rider.
So it's going well, as we saw yesterday, with typical Spanish weather of 19° in December, but also an interesting circuit from a technical point of view…
Johann Zarco : “Yes, a technical track that I know, and that's why I enjoyed coming to Cartagena, because I know that in winter it can be a little cool even if the weather is nice, but a balanced “left-right” track where I have already trained there in January 2024 and January 2023. So, I have references and I know that Acosta has trained a lot here. Aldeguer too, and I see how their driving is evolving, what they also have to develop a little naturally, what I also miss a little, this feeling on the front, and I find that it is a track which ready. As a result, it is both fast to take advantage of the CBR 1000, but not too big so as not to end up wearing out the bike too much. Finally… you don't bring the bike to full throttle, and that really allows you to do quality laps. So yes, this track is a bit ideal for me, for what I am looking for, for safety, we will say the temperature of the tires, the starting of the whole machine, and we will say inexpensive, with the restaurant which is there and who provides us with sandwiches. Everything you need is easily accessible.”
What you are personally working on on your riding here is to be less tense on the bike?
“Yes, that’s it. I put my cardio on the bike because I know that I am capable of going fast, but each time with a certain tension on the bike, and the goal is to gain further speed, or already ride at the same speed but with less tension. Because if I put less tension on the bike, it's hard to say but I immediately lose almost a second or a second max, whereas by putting less tension I would have to lose at the limit only 2 tenths, and then it becomes very interesting because it’s a bit of the key in Moto GP to be consistent.”
“There, you have already improved your best time here…
Yes. Surprised, so very happy for that, because in fact I arrived with feelings to develop in mind, but ultimately, between January 24 and December 2024, well there was the season on the Honda, on which I estimate having progressed on my feelings, on the driving. And there, I arrived in fact by almost directly applying this style of driving, which I had also tried to work on in Aragon in August with the CBR, and in fact from the first run I was in references super good, and when I put a new tire on, I actually beat my times. And that’s cool because I pushed a lot more in January 24, and that means that in fact, my technique has progressed.”
To be continued very quickly…
Johann Zarco Cartagena
