Johann Zarco has emerged as a major asset for Honda this season, scoring the most points of any rider in the marque and establishing himself as their spearhead. After the Japanese Grand Prix, the Frenchman has 36 World Championship points, surpassing his teammates, with Takaaki Nakagami on 28 points, Joan Mir on 20 points, and Luca Marini on 7 points. These are numbers that show the impact Zarco has had on a team that has seen its satellite team, LCR Honda, overtake the factory squad in points.
Lucio Cecchinello, boss of the LCR team, praised the positive attitude and commitment of zarcoThe Frenchman is open to working closely with engineers and takes a constructive approach, even when faced with challenges. RC213V. Unlike 2019, when zarco had left KTM due to incompatibility with the motorcycle, this time he seems ready to fully invest in the development of Honda.
zarco, in particular, has managed to exploit the strengths of the Honda, especially in terms of braking. Its brand colleague Luca marini, also arrived at Honda this season after riding on Ducati, has explained : " Johann can brake very hard and deep in the curve with the Honda, which he couldn't do with the Ducati.. »
Luca Marini: “ Ducati makes the biggest difference on straight-line braking »
This allowed Johann zarco to fill a weakness he previously had with Ducati, where he regularly lost time during braking. Now, he manages to maintain excellent corner exit while taking advantage of optimized braking.
To Marini, adaptation to the Honda proves to be more complex, especially when it comes to straight-line braking, where it still feels a difference compared to the Ducati. " Ducati makes the biggest difference on straight-line braking ", he said on motorsport total, while noting that Honda has made progress with the new aerodynamics introduced since Misano 2. However, compared to European bikes, the Honda still lacks grip when exiting bends.
The arrival of experienced pilots like zarco et Marini could be a key to Honda, which seems to have progressed in some aspects but is still lagging behind in others. John Zarco, thanks to his mastery of braking and his ability to exploit the bike's strengths, is well on his way to leading the team Honda this season and potentially guide it towards new developments for the future.
