Riding into the Spanish MotoGP Grand Prix at Jerez with a surge of optimism, Johann Zarco has expressed newfound confidence in Honda’s progress in the MotoGP scene. Zarco, part of the LCR team, is buoyed by his recent fourth-place finish in Qatar, the best result for Honda since the iconic rider Marc Marquez‘s departure. As the MotoGP season progresses, Zarco is now comfortably sixth in the world championship standings, marking the highest placement for an RCV rider recently.
“Sure, it’s pretty important,” Zarco remarked when questioned about the significance of his recent results, especially with his contract up for renewal at the end of the season, and with prospects of a factory Honda seat opening in 2026. “I know I’m doing good things with Honda. With where I am in my career, I want to continue with Honda, which will be the best way.”
The French racer also referenced his participation in the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, a prestigious event that Honda values highly. Zarco noted, “Also Suzuka [8 Hours] is something that Honda likes, and they see that I’m enjoying it too. So yeah, it’s always good to be the first Honda rider, but most of all now to get close to the top guys.” He further emphasized the significance of building steadily from the season’s start, noting a lone mistake in Austin yet acknowledging the overall positive trajectory.
As Zarco looks towards Jerez, anticipation builds around Honda’s planned updates, which are rumored to be introduced either during the Grand Prix itself or the subsequent post-race test. Zarco commented, “We’ll see – we have some updates from Honda in Jerez. I don’t know if we’ll have them during the race weekend or just for the test. But what we want, what the technicians want for a bit, it’s coming now in Jerez. So maybe an opportunity to find a better setup, to get closer.”
Despite the known top-speed deficits of the RCV, Zarco identifies issues with corner entry performance as a critical area for improvement. The layout at Jerez, he believes, could highlight these weaknesses but also address them. “Maybe slowing down on the last part of the corner [entry] is what is still missing for us, and Jerez is typically that,” Zarco said. “That’s why Pecco is very strong there. But now that I know and understand better this characteristic of track and of riding, I hope I will be able to manage the same type of weekend [as Qatar] – looking at the top five or confirming the top ten if other riders are also feeling pretty good.”
In his ninth season of MotoGP, Zarco reflects on his time with Honda as a period of renewal, reconnecting with the precision that marked his Moto2 championship-winning years. “I’m changing things and I’m happy that what I wanted to change is starting to pay [off],” he said. “So it’s a good version of the new things I want to do. Maybe the best version was this feeling of being focused on the line, just repeating what I know – that was the time of Moto2, because I never had this time again in MotoGP. And I believe that making a step back with Honda from last year to rebuild something, now I have the opportunity to enjoy even more and see that I’m very close to something… top.”
The excitement surrounding Zarco and Honda’s progress in MotoGP is palpable, with the potential for significant performance enhancements on the horizon. As the Spanish GP draws near, the confluence of hard work, tactical updates, and a reinvigorated Johann Zarco paints an optimistic picture for Honda, signaling that their long road of rebuilding is beginning to manifest in tangible results. The coming races will be crucial in consolidating these improvements and setting the stage for future successes.
