Johann Zarco has no doubt that Marc Marquez ‘remains an incredible rider’ and will win again in MotoGP ‘as soon as the bike is better’.
Eight-time world champion Marquez has been winless since 2021, with Alex Rins taking the RCV’s only subsequent race victory at COTA this year.
Currently injured, Rins’ best Honda result outside of Texas is ninth place and he is leaving for Monster Yamaha next season.
Arriving at LCR to take up the Honda challenge will be Zarco, currently riding a factory-spec Desmosedici for the Pramac team, where the 33-year-old’s experience saw him help with the development of new parts such as the (now banned) front ride-height system.
The Frenchman was pulled away by HRC’s offer of a two-year deal combined with the ‘push’ that, if he stayed at Ducati, he might have to leave Pramac for Gresini, which would also mean demotion to a year-old machine.
“We had the opportunity from Ducati to do one more year, but not sure if I can be with Pramac,” Zarco confirmed. “Then there was good interest from Honda, offering two years.
“If I was not sure to stay with Pramac, I didn’t want to have a challenge with another team, even if the [Ducati] bike remains the best one at the moment.
“So if I change team, better to make another project. And get two years.”
“As a sportsman, at 33 years old, that’s something to think about because the last three years I was always having a one-year contract, one-year contract… but after 5 or 6 races [of the next year], you already have stress about the future.”
Looking to his Honda future, Zarco said he is ‘curious’ to see the 2024 bike and is sure that any technical progress will be quickly exploited by Marquez.
“We know [Honda] have the power to invest if they need to try to find the solutions, and I will be proud if I can find a way with them.
“I still believe the one that can win on the bike, as soon as the bike is better, will be Marc.
“Because he remains an incredible rider when he is feeling good.”
Zarco has raced for LCR Honda before, at the end of 2019 as an injury replacement.
“I’m happy to be going to this challenge with Lucio [Cecchinello], we met four years ago and we got a good feeling,” Zarco said.
“I got a good feeling on the Honda that time. So that’s why I’m not scared, and much more ready than in the past.
“I got the bad experience with KTM [arriving from Tech3 Yamaha, in 2019], and it seems almost the same moment now: Things are going well with Ducati, and I’m going to Honda.
“But I’m much more mature, so I believe I can handle difficult situations and will also be ready for good situations when they will come.”
“At KTM, I had only experience with the Yamaha,” he explained. “My riding style has been changing a lot with Ducati.
“I’m changing things and I’m much more conscious of what is happening. I would prefer to win, but I also enjoy understanding how we could do good on the bike.”
Upon informing Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna of his decision to leave, Zarco said he thanked Ducati “for the opportunity they gave to me at the end of 2019.
“I started with them in 2020, in the Covid time, and I learned a lot.
“I was happy with my performance to lift up the Avintia team, that then became the VR46 team. So I was very proud of that. And then with Pramac, trying this factory bike for three years has been so interesting.
“I was open to try new things, more sometimes than the other riders, because I could accept to change things. And if something was not working, I was not as stressed as in the past.
“Sometimes young riders, if something is not working, they immediately put it to one side.
“So with a bit more age you can control this. I think this was useful, Gigi told me.”
Aside from a long-awaited debut MotoGP victory, Zarco’s targets for the remainder of the season are to, ”fight for this top 5 in the championship and fight for Pramac to keep first position in the teams’ classification. This is going to be the best season for Pramac.”
Franco Morbidelli is thought to be the favourite to take over Zarco’s Pramac place, alongside Jorge Martin.
Keyword: Johann Zarco: Marc Marquez will win ‘as soon as the bike is better’