Far from the somewhat formatted communication of traditional press releases, the exchanges between the French pilot and the journalists in the Tech3 hospitality are of a richness and simplicity that true enthusiasts will appreciate (you can find all his past debriefs in our section ( "Interviews"). There is always the little detail that immerses us more every day in the world of MotoGP…
As usual, we report here the entirety of the comments of Johann zarco, in a raw way, therefore without any journalistic formatting or distortion.
Was your finish result conditioned by your position on the starting grid?
" Exactly ! A better position on the grid is really necessary to stay in the top 5 and have a chance of being on the podium. I knew it but I struggled on Saturday, and it was another experience: starting 19th knowing that I could be very consistent during the race. It was therefore necessary to remain calm and, whatever happened, take advantage of this experience.
Ninth is pretty good because I'm ahead of Cal, ahead of Petrucci who had an incredible race at Assen. In the Championship, he took a lot of points from me at Assen, but I was able to be in front of him here, so I'm happy because this ninth position is very good for the championship.
Here, even if I had started from the second row, like Jonas, I would not have been able to have his rhythm. I did all my laps in 1'22 while he raced under 22, which I couldn't have done. Maybe it would have been possible to do fourth or fifth, like Vinales or Rossi, because the pace was like mine. But fighting for the podium like Jonas did was not possible for me this weekend. I'm really happy about what he did: it was good for him, but also for us because it's competition between the drivers and for the team, it's fantastic. »
Was your choice of tires a gamble to compensate for the starting position?
“It wasn’t a special bet. Saturday morning, it was with these tires that I felt the best to maintain consistency. And we still have the experience, at Sachsenring, that whatever the category, being consistent to the nearest tenth, in the end it makes for a great race. There, 30 laps was a long time, in Moto2 it was 29 I think. These are the tires on which I felt the best, medium front, hard rear. That's also why I fell on Saturday morning, because I didn't pass the Soft before. So. There, I really believe that I am experiencing: climate change, taking the right tire at the right time, and that to ensure a race for a slightly harder ride, and finishing it well, and seeing that with a better position on the grid, I would have been at the front. A bit, in fact, like in Barcelona. Really, it allows you to see that when I put everything together in the race weekends, I will be there. As in Assen, it was ultimately also all good, and there the choice of Soft was not problematic because I finished the race. So. I had the experience of going far and, thanks to consistency, I finished in honorable places. I had the experience of starting at the front and staying at the front for more than half the race. And there too, it was interesting to gain confidence and realize your abilities. I really believe that I need to go through all the phases to build myself up, and then fight for the championship in the future. »
Over this weekend, where does Jonas make the difference compared to you?
“Better adaptation on the track. This is a track where I often had difficulty. The last two years in Moto2, I had some great races but even in Moto2, it was hard. In 125, it was hard. There you have it, a difficult track for me, perhaps in terms of grip, it slips. Or am I not able to turn it well enough? If I knew that, I wouldn't have met...
But there. I think he has...
For a 4/10 difference, you go under 22 and you go with Márquez. And that's really what he did. Maybe a little extra: he handled the pressure well and transformed it into motivation, and that's great! »
Like you at Le Mans?
" Exact ! Yes yes ! I said it, the national Grands Prix are going well for us, and for the team. Too bad we don't have 4 Grands Prix like in Spain (laughs). No, no, it's great. »
During this first half of the season, where did you feel you were progressing the most?
“I remember that at the start of the year, before starting the season, I was losing a lot of time on the acceleration phases. And there, well I didn't think about it anymore, but I don't waste any more time in these places. So I managed to fill that after Jerez, I think. After Jerez, I made up for a deficit in acceleration, and then there was the podium at Le Mans. Since the podium at Le Mans, finally I no longer had this deficit in acceleration, but afterwards, it's really succeeding in building your weekend, being calm and preparing for the race, and whenever there is a need to set a time, switch to softer tires and know how to set a time. And that, experience is important because, as a pilot, when you discover, you have the doubt of knowing if you are capable of going 5/10 faster. We wonder if it's just the tire that will make me go 5/10 faster, or if I have the capacity. That's why sometimes it causes stress on Friday. Because we try to go fast, and that's the difference with a Vinales or a Rossi, is that they can have hard tires and they missed 5 or 6/10, they know that as soon as they They're going to put on a soft tire, they're going to have smoke bombs because they know how to ride the bike properly. And that's the little phase where I got through the last three Grands Prix. »
For your first season, are you ahead of your initial schedule?
" Completely ! Jonas like me, because we each reached a podium, plus a second place each time. We are ahead. Don't rest on this lead. Enjoy it and make you smile. And so, use that to stay at that level. Because MotoGP, like the categories before it, is the high level, and if at a single moment we blow, we lose positions and we are no longer in the rhythm. And you have to be very careful about that. It's mid-season, you have to know how to recover your energy and then get back on track, give it your all and give it your all. »
Jonas is nice, but he's still a real rival who reveals himself...
“For me, I never underestimated him!” He adapted better and faster than me during the winter tests where he was very fast. Then, on the races, I have had better management recently. There, he made another jump to the championship. I think it’s great! »
To clarify the matter, if you had to do it again, would you have added software fifteen minutes before the end of the third free practice session?
“I would have put LE Soft first. And that would undoubtedly have avoided the fall and I would have qualified for Q2, starting at least in the 10. That would have changed a lot of things. It was like that and I took it with pleasure and relaxation. »
Finally, you know how to overtake well, you gained 10 places… (laughs)
“I had no doubts (laughs) but it's true that it's still complicated, because we can imagine that we'll be able to overtake there, there and there, but as soon as we're behind the person, “come on, I’m moving forward and I just have to speed up more”, well instead of moving forward, I’m skating. Almost to overtake, you have to accelerate less to slip less: there are things that are a bit contradictory. This is why you really need to have strong nerves and be calm. »
A studious vacation or a real break during the off-season?
“Pretty busy until the 18th, I think, and then you have to stay physically fit in any case. But the mental break will take place from the 18th to the 28th.”
Did the fact that you fell twice this weekend make you doubt it or not at all?
“No, no doubt. Falling in the rain, really, these things happen and it can happen. The high-speed fall upset me more than made me doubt. On the other hand, it's true that this big turn, I think I gained confidence with three laps to go (laughs). Yes, it took me 27 laps to build up a reserve (laughs). »
Your favorite for the championship?
“I announced Márquez at the start of the year, he was the one who took the lead in the championship. I think he knows how to manage best. He has the speed because he is young, and he has the management. Whereas in the Factory Yamaha team, you have Rossi who has the management and Vinales who has the speed. And Márquez has both. And he has to, because he has the Honda. »
German Grand Prix results:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 40m 59.525s
2. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 41m 2.835s
3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 41m 11.071s
4. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 13.778s
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 41m 14.505s
6. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 41m 16.059s
7. Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 41m 19.261s
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 19.713s
9. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 41m 20.663s
10. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 41m 23.735s
11. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 25.184s
12. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 41m 31.065s
13. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 41m 31.704s
14. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 41m 35.978s
15. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 41m 37.296s
16. Mika Kallio FIN Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 41m 37.377s
17. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 41m 38.848s
18. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 41m 40.715s
19. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 41m 59.375s
20. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 42m 1.189s
21. Alex Rins ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 42m 1.220s
Provisional ranking of the World Championship:
1 Marc MARQUEZ-Honda 129 points
2 Maverick VIÑALES-Yamaha 124
3 Andrea DOVIZIOSO-Ducati 123
4 Valentino ROSSI-Yamaha 119
5 Dani PEDROSA-Honda 103
6 Johann ZARCO-Yamaha 84
7 Jonas FOLGER-Yamaha 71
8 Danilo PETRUCCI-Ducati 66
9 Jorge LORENZO-Ducati 65
10 Cal CRUTCHLOW-Honda 64
11 Alvaro BAUTISTA-Ducati 44
12 Jack MILLER-Honda 41
13 Scott REDDING-Ducati 33
14 Aleix ESPARGARO-Aprilia 32
15 Loris BAZ-Ducati 31
16 Andrea IANNONE 28
17 Tito RABAT 23
18 Hector BARBERA 21
19 Karel ABRAHAM 20
20 Pol ESPARGARO 14
21 Bradley SMITH 8
22 Alex RINS 7
23 Michele PIRRO 7
24 Sam LOWES 2
25 Sylvain GUINTOLI 1
