Johann Zarco, competing for the LCR Honda team, has opened up about the reasons behind his frequent crashes during the MotoGP season, a pattern that has increasingly affected his points tally. Zarco leads the crash count this year with 22 falls across all sessions, raising concerns about his race consistency and performance.
Early Season Performance and Mid-Year Downturn
Many of Zarco’s crashes took place during practice sessions, but he maintained solid race results, including a victory at the French Grand Prix, and was classified in each grand prix until May’s British GP. However, the trend shifted starting with the Aragon race, where he experienced his first non-finish of the season on a Sunday, leading to five crashes in eight subsequent races.
The Challenge with Honda’s Front End and Zarco’s Riding Style
As Zarco prepared for the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, he offered technical insights into his struggles. He emphasized feeling a strong front-end grip on his Honda bike but admitted that trying to exploit this strength led to errors. Zarco described moments when the bike resisted turning despite a solid front grip, causing him to lose control when pushing too hard.
“And still, we have this area where the bike sometimes doesn’t want to turn, even if the front is good,”
he explained,
“Lately I was missing a bit of speed and then it was the only way I could try to get something more.”
These comments shed light on the fine balance Zarco tries to maintain between utilizing the bike’s capabilities and managing its unpredictable behavior in certain conditions.
Insights on Specific Crashes and Mental Approach
Zarco identified the crash at the recent Catalan race as being caused by unexpected factors rather than the usual handling issues, sharing how a minor bump disrupted his control despite having good speed.
“In Barcelona, I had the speed and I got surprised. Maybe I hit a little bump but I could not control it. So that’s why. It was a pity to miss a great result.”
He also reflected on his mindset contributing to the crashes, recognizing that striving for improvement sometimes leads to over-reaching.
“I think I have been crashing a lot because I tried to do better and sometimes better is the enemy of the good. So I should accept just to do good.”
Zarco acknowledged his need for greater self-discipline on the bike.
“I need to control a little bit more to avoid the crashes, because I’m not enjoying crashing a lot. And this is the best thing I can work on myself, because it’s about myself – trying to control the emotion on the bike and the way I can push.”
Comparison with Other Riders and Season Outlook
Among full-time riders, Luca Marini from the factory Honda team is notable for not crashing during any MotoGP session this year, although he missed three rounds due to a superbike testing crash in Suzuka. Zarco’s struggles highlight the difficulties some riders face in balancing aggression with control on demanding machines like the Honda.
With Zarco’s awareness of his crash tendency and a focus on managing emotions and riding approach, the upcoming races, including the San Marino Grand Prix, may offer opportunities to improve stability and results. His ability to adapt will be crucial for recovering lost ground in a highly competitive championship.
