After explaining to us the genesis of his very wonderful initiative at Cartagena during the first part of this interview, then the advantages of the Spanish circuit said in the second part, as well as his pleasure in sharing his experience with the youngest in the third part and his victorious adventure in Japan in the fourth part,
Johann Zarco took some time again to look back on his 2024 MotoGP season aboard the Honda RC213V of the Castrol LCR team, and much more…
Clearly, the man behind the pilot will never cease to amaze us, obviously in a good way, and we would like to take this opportunity to send him a very big thank you and our best wishes for the season to come!
Great sensations in terms of endurance, but great sensations also this year in MotoGP, where you experienced several phases: when you started on the Honda, you knew that it was going to be a long and difficult project, but after a while moment we still felt a little angry, discouraged, “we need another project”et cetera. And then, from the test in Misano, we saw you enjoy yourself and progress well until the end of the year. So it’s also still a positive year in MotoGP, right?
Johann Zarco : “Yeah, it’s positive to have been able to evolve, even mentally, during the year. And I think it came after testing the bike at the Suzuka 8 Hours, where I realized that actually I had almost the same comments and the same problems as on MotoGP. And that's when I said to myself “Okay, whatever the problems in MotoGP, you also have problems, you in your head! It's because you're stuck on sensations, on beliefs, that you need to unlock. See your subject differently!”. When I started doing that, I started to ride MotoGP much better, within its limits because we stay far away, but that's what allowed me at the end of the year to still do one nice difference compared to other drivers. »
At least as much as the technical progress of the machine?
« Oui.”
Because you still had technical developments…
“Yes, because the others also got closer to the points, all that, and even Marini had some interesting races, where ultimately I didn't have a huge gap with him. But yes, yes, I think it helped me. Because it is considered the best bike, the endurance bike, and I saw that I expected to be much easier with it. And in fact, riding fast, with any motorcycle, is not easy, it is not given to everyone, and above all there is a technique to have. It was a good reminder not to lose this technique, or to know how to adapt it.”
Is it imperative for you that Honda continues at least at the level it finished the season in 2025?
“Yeah, required. Obligatory, we can't say that, but yes, it's imperative, because going back to try to re-evolve will always mean we're behind. »
Could that demotivate you?
“Demotivate, no! Because there is an objective within the objective, that is to say that we seek to be in the 10, to progress, but we will say that as long as I can remain the first Honda driver, that allows us to maintain a credibility. So whatever the level of the bike, if I remain number 1 of the brand, at least I keep the brand confident in me. That could be important. But afterwards, it remained first to aim for 2027, where, you never know, there may be, thanks to the change in regulations and motorcycles, an advantage for Honda in one go, or an advantage for the Japanese. »
There is still a big change in 2025, which is that now Honda has a very solid test team, with all the signings that were made during the year. Do you think this is something that will change things?
“I hope, I hope!” Afterwards, new blood with Aleix Espargaro, that could be very good, and to move things forward too, with a different vision, it's Romano (Albesiano). And that, for the moment it cannot yet, let's say, come into action until 2025 has started. So curious actually after the first test in Malaysia, even the shakedown ultimately, to see how things will progress from there. Because currently the 2025 project is not doing any better than the 2024. And that means that in fact, it's as if 2024 hadn't served enough, because ultimately the 2025 project is the same, or even worse. . »
Did you discover that at the private test in Jerez?
« Oui. »
To be continued very quickly…
Johann Zarco Cartagena MotoGP
Johann Zarco Cartagena MotoGP
