#JapaneseGP MotoGP J.2 Qualification Conference Johann Zarco: track conditions, difference with official riders, first somersault, etc, (full)

Invited to this post-qualifying press conference for the Japanese Grand Prix for having obtained pole position, Johann Zarco responded with a mixture of emotion and humor to questions from journalists, in the presence of Danilo Petrucci, Marc Márquez, Takaaki Nakagami and Nicolo Bulega.

As usual, we report his remarks here, in full and without any journalistic distortion.

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Johann zarco : “It’s a completely wet weekend and that was expected. I improved a lot between FP1 and FP3, and I got a good feeling. Márquez was going extremely fast and I tried to see what he did best and what information I could give to my team to reach that level.

So I was happy that all the sessions took place in the wet to do this work and progress. I know it's in this kind of weekend that you can try something because all the drivers can struggle and then it's a kind of opportunity that you can take during the weekend. Only during qualifying there was less water on the track. It was almost dry but not dry enough to use the slicks.

I think that with five extra minutes, the slicks could have made the time, but there were no five minutes. I changed my strategy just before qualifying, saying that I preferred to use the soft tire at the start of the session, then the extra-soft at the end, just for one lap. I thought it could work and it worked well. So I'm very happy. After Assen, I sometimes struggled and I wondered if it would be the only (pole position) I would have this year. The answer is no, and I'm extremely happy and enjoying this moment. »

Will race pace be a big problem if the conditions are the same as today?

“We’ll see about that tomorrow. The race will take place at two o'clock and it's difficult to say: maybe we will have a flag to flag with a change of bike. It could also be good if we start on dry and finish on dry. Even if I don't have it (xxx), starting from pole position can be an advantage to take your time and find the rhythm. And in case of rain, we have the references and I think starting from the front row is important. Because on Friday, I noticed that while riding in a group, we couldn't see very well, and I don't like that. So I will use this first position to stay ahead. »

How do you explain that, in the wet, you are far ahead of Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales?

“I really don’t know, because there are places where even in the wet, in Misano, Vinales was in front. And I think if Valentino could have raced at Misano he could have been in front as well. Here it's different. The track has very good grip. Usually I complain about this. Maybe having this grip here is only good for me; maybe it's too much for them and they destroy their tires and have no more grip... That's the only technical reason I can think of, but I don't know and I'm really keeping my mind free this subject. »

You won here in 125 cc and in Moto2. What do you particularly like here and do you think you can win tomorrow?

“I hope so and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that. It's true that I have a good feeling on this track. I got my first victory there in 125 cc by fighting a lot for the time during qualifying. So I learned a lot in 2011. Then, all my experiences in Moto2 were good, starting with the last two years. In addition, I have undergone good preparation since Aragon. We had these two weeks of complete rest and so I prepared my energy very well. Resumption at Motegi may be good for me.
What's special? I don't know. I can manage these heavy braking because I have very good references, and I enjoy each lap. So this is perhaps one of the keys thanks to which I can do good things here. »

Seen from the edge of the track, it is very impressive to see you pass turn number six. What feeling do you have there?

“Just after the bridge, yes, it’s a nice bend. I asked myself many times if I could lose the front end or not (smile) but the grip is there. And for the moment, in MotoGP, I only have sensations with the rain tires. But it's true that you can go through this corner really quickly. In the wet, it's without the brakes. In the dry, I don't know. But I think yes, there is this little positive tilt that allows you to use the passing speed even more while still keeping the apex point very well. »

Do you have traction problems like the official Yamaha riders? And how do you resolve them?

“Yes, I have some issues but I'll let my team handle how to resolve them. I think what makes the difference is how you start the weekend. With the team, it seemed like we weren't far from the good times and the leading guys, and we kept what was good. Sometimes we improved a little and we deteriorated a little, and building on that, I think we've reached a point where I have good confidence. »

Social Media Question: Where did you first do your somersault, and how difficult is it with the leather suit?

“The very first time was in 2007 at Mugello, during the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race. It was my first victory in the Rookies Cup and I saw a camera, since there is no audience in the Rookies Cup (laughs), and I did the somersault. At that time, I was still in school and doing a lot of it with my friends. I was wondering if I could do it (with the leather) and once I hit the ground, “phew!” ". It was the very first time.
Then I didn't do it again for every victory, but when I wanted to do it again as a signature, it was for the first title. It's just a matter of feeling and I think it's harder to win the race than to do a somersault. So when it's time to do the somersault, that means the hardest part is done. »

Photo credit : MotoGP.com