Since the start of the season, Johann Zarco is by far the rider who is doing the best, aboard the Honda, in MotoGP. However, Joan Mir and Takaaki Nakagami have known their respective teams and the Japanese machine for longer than the French. So, why has the latter been doing so well, particularly in recent races?
MotoGP: a promising end to the season for Johann
It would seem that, the more Honda progresses, the more the gulf widens between Johann Zarco and his three companions in trouble (Marini, Mir and Nakagami), in this 2024 MotoGP season. The example of the Indonesian Grand Prix perfectly illustrates this point. 7th in qualifying, he then placed eighth in the sprint then, on Sunday, 9th under the checkered flag. Until now, never had a Honda been able to qualify so high on the grid and no one had been able to enter the top ten. Joan Mir having signed an eleventh place, in Emilia Romagna…
So, how can we explain this ability of Johann Zarco to find his feet when among his teammates there is still a MotoGP world champion, in the person of Joan Mir? Well, it was at the microphone of Canal+ that Randy de Puniet, former driver of the premier category and consultant of the channel, gave an answer that was credible to say the least.
The person concerned thus highlighted the “analytical and comprehension skills” by Zarco. Just as his “motivation“, superior to that of other drivers, according to him. Let us add, perhaps, his ease in difficult and slippery conditions, which has already brought him encouraging results this season. At the Aragon Grand Prix in particular, since he reached Q2 in practice, before setting the tenth time.
Let us also dare to put forward another theory, this time linked to Team LCR. Because Takaaki Nakagami (second highest ranked Honda driver in the drivers’ championship) is also having a good season. If the Japanese suffers greatly in qualifying, he often does better than the official Honda drivers in the race. First of all by not falling often – unlike Joan Mir. But we can also imagine that the satellite team’s working methods have potentially improved. The arrival of JZ5 having, perhaps also, offered a new lease of life to the men and women of Lucio Cecchinello?
Suffice it to say that the end of the season promises to be interesting for the Frenchman, who stands out from his fellow adventurers in the driver rankings. Thanks, in particular, to the nine points collected last weekend. Something to hope for even better, very soon. We can already put a little spin on the Australian Grand Prix, of which he is the reigning winner…
Article published on 09/30/2024 at 11:55 a.m.
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