Let's talk MotoGP: Johann Zarco made me sad

What a rider! In Argentina, Johann Zarco impressed the entire MotoGP paddock, which must now be wary of Honda. The Frenchman honored his immense talent by making it to the front row, a first since 2023 for a rider from the winged marque. Clearly, his undiminished passion is as beautiful as it is sad, given what could have been.

 

Imagine

 

I'm not going to repeat what you already know about his weekend.Yes, Zarco was flamboyant and even close to the podium; too bad about the place lost in the final moments of Sunday's race to Fabio Di Giannantonio. His Argentine Grand Prix has already been widely discussed here and there, so I'd like to zoom out a little.

This performance made me nostalgic, because I couldn't help thinking about what he could have done with another bike. I totally respect his recent career choice, and I think that trying to bring a manufacturer as prestigious as Honda back to the forefront is a most honorable mission. That said, imagine him, currently, with a Ducati. Imagine him on an Aprilia, with such a favorable context.

 

 

I think, and I have always thought – since this controversial article in mid-2023 – that Johann Zarco was one of the best drivers in MotoGP, and this has been the case since he arrived in early 2017. At Ducati-Pramac, he held his own against Jorge Martin, and the latter became a World Champion a year after leaving for Honda. We will never know what would have happened to Zarco if he had extended his association with Ducati, even if it was just for a year. Yet I can't stop thinking about it, theorizing..

Let's take a quick look at the current grid. The "Martinator" is out, Bezzecchi is making his debut on the Aprilia, Di Giannantonio is injured, and Quartararo and Yamaha are far from the top. Behind the untouchable Marc Marquez remains Alex Marquez, alone, far ahead of a struggling Pecco Bagnaia. Zarco, at the end of 2024, after less than a year on the Honda, is became a regular top 10 contender, and today it is close to the top 5.

Now I'm going to ask you a frank question. Do you think Johann Zarco is a worse driver than Alex Marquez? My answer is no. What about Morbidelli? I'm not open to debate.Do you think he's worse than Di Giannantonio? Remember his pole positions with Ducati, that win in Australia, those repeated top-five finishes from 5 to 2020. Brad Binder has been widely praised for his efforts with KTM over the past three years. Before the South African, the Frenchman held those positions and, sometimes, did better.

 

 

I honestly think Johann Zarco could be fighting for victories right now if he had better equipment – nothing but a Desmosedici GP24. On the one hand, I am glad to know that he is thriving at Honda, but I cannot help but regret this decision which ties him to a restructuring project at almost 35 years old. It is possible that he will not be able to fully benefit from the progress he himself will have undertaken, and I find that truly regrettable. Pedro Acosta is in a similar situation, but he's young and still has plenty of time. He'll have the opportunity to leave the KTM fold if he feels the RC16 isn't competitive enough.

 

On the road to success

 

On a less lyrical note, How can we not congratulate Honda's progress? The gold-winged company is working in the right direction, and, even if it is undoubtedly helped by the freeze on engine development affecting the Europeans, the progress is dazzling. It is prudent to wait for Jerez to draw conclusions, but it is clear that it is not only Zarco that is progressing: Mir and Marini were in the top 10 as well.

 

 

We should be happy about it, but not too happy either.. While this may seem extraordinary at first glance, the situation is similar to 2023, roughly, except that Marc Marquez is no longer there to pull off the feat. And in 2023, the descent into hell was already well underway. It is clearly too early to shout about Honda's comeback, because there is still a long way to go before returning to the podium: Zarco was both close in terms of position, but very far in terms of gap – Morbidelli three seconds behind, Marc Marquez seven and a half seconds behind. As a reminder, in 2023, Rins imposed the RC213V in Austin and the eight-time World Champion amassed a pole, three top 3 Sprint finishes and a Sunday podium. In addition, the manufacturer standings are biased at the moment: Aprilia, in particular, is surely not in its rightful place, due to Bezzecchi's poorly paid start to the season, Martin's prolonged absence, and Ogura's disqualification.

 

Conclusion

 

The mentality of the French is a pleasure to see, because he did not celebrate this first line as a victory. He was aiming for the podium straight away, and his body language didn't betray any ultimate satisfaction at the end of the Sprint, despite finishing in fourth place. Honda is heading in the right direction, and that's the main thing. Let's just hope that these first rounds reflect the true hierarchy to avoid false hopes.

Do you share my feelings about Johann Zarco? Tell me in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport