Johann Zarco took advantage of Fabio Quartararo’s breakdown on the final lap to snatch all five points from 11th place and finish as the best Honda rider.
The race. “I did well in the first round. I lost time at the start, but I didn’t make any mistakes in the first lap compared to yesterday. Yesterday, I got caught at turn 11. It was the others who were trapped with the full tank and the medium tire. I gained a lot of space at that moment and it was a key moment. I tried to get back on Fabio and stay close. No way to do it and double it, we have two different styles. To maintain the pace behind him, I had to attack and the tire pressure built up. When it reaches a certain pressure, I can no longer slow down when braking. You feel that you are in difficulty and that you cannot do more… it becomes a little tiring. I was happy with my place and I told myself that we were going to come back to Aleix and Miller. I still have this problem when accelerating. Near here, the tire was badly consumed. I was trying to straighten the bike a lot more and get traction. It gave me control, but it really hurt my forearms. And lucky, in the end, he was out of gas. I almost hit him, but I gained a position. I’m 11th and I’m very happy. »
Motegi assessment (loss when accelerating vs gain when braking). “I think I kept this possibility of braking quite late as long as we are straight. But I can’t do like Acosta, trying to overtake while drying, I’m going to slow down over the last few meters by leaning the bike. It was much better in Mandalika, but it wasn’t the same tires, the same carcasses and I think that has a lot to do with it. It gives us some information, but I would have liked to have had better between yesterday and today. »
Back to Phillip Island, site of the last victory. “I hope a bit like Mandalika because with this new fairing, we have progressed on the fast corners and if we hang on to the right group there is a way to follow them. Last year, I was strong in accelerating, controlling my entire race before gaining the advantage. There I don’t know, I wouldn’t have that advantage, but I tell myself that maybe with these big turns, I can hang on to a good group and do like Mandalika, only better…”
Photo : FIM
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