Johann Zarco described a “massive change and huge step forward” in performance at the COTA MotoGP, after starting the weekend down in 20th during Friday’s practice sessions.
The French rider delivered a strong showing on Sunday morning, improving on his qualifying time and finishing third in the warm-up—just behind factory Ducati riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.
“I’m really happy with the progress we made from Saturday to Sunday,” said Zarco. “It was a huge improvement. I could already see it in the warm-up, and it was confirmed in the race.”
Zarco revealed that a significant setup change overnight made all the difference, although he wasn’t sure if it was based more on Joan Mir’s or Luca Marini’s configuration. “We changed the setup drastically. I can’t say exactly whose direction we followed, but it worked for me. Straight away in the morning, I was faster than I was in qualifying.”
He emphasized how critical this ability to adapt setups will be as the season progresses: “Being able to make these adjustments and immediately find performance will be very important going forward.”
Despite a delayed race start, Zarco fought hard from 15th on the grid and found himself battling for fourth place as the top Honda rider. Unfortunately, his efforts ended in a crash with just three laps remaining.
“There were great overtakes and intense battles,” he said. “I even thought I could catch Jack Miller in fifth, especially since I usually manage used tyres well. But fighting with Aldeguer took a lot out of me—both time and energy. That allowed Bezzecchi and Bastianini to get past.”
Zarco explained the crash came unexpectedly: “As I tried to close the line into Turn 12, I suddenly lost rear grip. It was a surprise. Of course, I’m disappointed, but considering where we were on Saturday—struggling and lacking feeling—I was very competitive today.”
Even though he failed to score points for the first time this season, Zarco remains the top Honda rider in the standings. He now sits seventh overall, just five points ahead of HRC teammate Luca Marini.
