MotoGP, Zarco: "Being in Q2 is like a small victory, but I will wait to celebrate"

Johann led Honda for the first time this year directly into the decisive qualifying round: "the new engine helps in the time attack, but in the race tire management will make the difference"

Submitted by Matteo Aglio on Fri, 30/08/2024 - 19:48

motogp

Johann Zarco

aragon

honda

lcr

When in the dark, every spark fills the heart, and Johann Zarco's heart leapt for joy today at Aragon. The Frenchman of the LCR team managed to get straight into Q2 and it is the first time this year that this has happened to a Honda. The 8th time in pre-qualifying is a small masterpiece, considering also that the other RC213Vs are far behind: Marini is 17th, Mir and Nakagami last and penultimate.

"I'm happy, it's my first time in Q2 with Honda and it's like a small victory for me, but I don't want to celebrate too much because I'll have to confirm tomorrow in qualifying and in the Sprint and Sunday in the race - mixed optimism and caution Zarco - Meanwhile I'm happy to have made a good step forward and to have good feelings here in Aragon. The track is very strange, but I was less surprised than the other riders because I had been able to train here with the CBR and get to know the asphalt."

His right wrist did the rest.

"The time attack went well and the new engine helped me with the new tires, what I had been missing in Austria," he explains, " I will try to take advantage of that again tomorrow, but it will be important above all to manage the tires in the race, which seems complicated. If I get to the middle of the race being able to control the bike well, it will be a good Sunday."

As for the new powertrain, he doesn't want to give too many details. "We still have problems in acceleration, but with the new engine the bike runs better and we can take advantage of the new tires. I can't be more precise, because in the end it's my feelings, but it helps on the time attack" he limits himself to saying.

His head is already in qualifying, because a good position on the grid can change the face of the weekend.

"We'll see, I already know that tomorrow's will be the best qualifying of the season for me because even if it goes wrong I would be 12th - smiles Johann - I hope I can stay around 8th position, I don't know if it's possible to do better. For sure it would help in the first laps of the race, but this is a special track and at the start you have to find the right line, if you go on the outside the asphalt is very slippery and you can lose a lot of time. However, this result gives a smile to everyone, including me. I can follow the other riders better than in the past and this is positive."