Honda's difficulties allowed Zarco to “change things”

In 2023, Johann Zarco voluntarily gave up a potential final year on a dominant Ducati to commit for several seasons with LCR, which only had a struggling Honda to offer him. The Frenchman was looking for a long-term project but also for a machine closer to his needs, having rarely been in total harmony with the Ducati.

Zarco thus discovered a Honda that was certainly behind but which better suited the characteristics of his riding. This notably allowed him to gain the advantage over the other representatives of the brand, including Luca Marini, less able to compete than when they both had the Ducati.

The winner of the 2023 Australian GP is not content with this situation and remains aware of the perpetual need to improve his abilities on the bike. “I can still grow for some things”he explained at the end of the season, realistic about the limits that may have been his when he had a bike capable of winning: “I didn't use the Ducati to perfection [en 2023] because Martín and Pecco [Bagnaia] were doing better things, Bezzecchi had a better year than me in 2023.”

Zarco thus wanted to take advantage of the lagging performance of his Honda to embark on in-depth work on his driving: “I needed to change things and I already tried to change them [en 2024]. Thanks to Honda's lack of results, I was able to change my mindset and try to change things, because I had less pressure.”

This work has “found an answer on the trail” and has “brought a lot of motivation” to Zarco, satisfied with exploring paths hitherto unknown to him. “I'm sure I can be very strong after discovering these new things”he stressed, already seeing a positive effect: “I am happy to have […] progress on the bike and start riding differently, exploiting different things on the bike.”

“This is also what I wanted to do on the Ducati but which I couldn't do. As a result, I opened new doors for myself and I'm exploring them better and better. This will clearly make me grow as a as a pilot.”

Zarco's objective now is to succeed in extracting all the quintessence from his Honda with the hope of reaping the rewards when the brand has returned to the top: “I hope the bike takes steps forward to hopefully become the best in a year and really play at the front.”

“I feel there are still things to improve”he conceded. “It's a real challenge for me. I'm almost sure that by managing to have better sensations, when the bike works, I will be able to find the podium again. It's my personal challenge and I will be the first happy to be that Honda driver on the podium.”