The Frenchman becomes the first rider to retain his world crown since the introduction of the Moto2 Championship in 2010.
Johann Zarco began his career in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2007, a promotion formula which he won. It marks its entry into the World Championship in 2009 with the 125cc. After two seasons of learning, the Frenchman joined Aki Ajo's team, well known in the paddock.
Riding a Derbi, the Frenchman distinguished himself by reaching the podium 11 times, including 1 victory. The title against Nico Terol was fought out until the last race in Valencia, but the Frenchman lost to his Spanish rival and ended his 125cc career with a vice-Champion title in 2011.
The following year, Zarco joined the Moto2 category riding a Motobi from the JiR team. Tenth in the standings with 95 points, Zarco entered Giampiero Sacchi's IodaRacing structure in 2013, on a Suter that had just won the title in the hands of Marc Marquez the previous season. Zarco managed to score his first two podiums in the intermediate category to end the season in ninth position.
In 2014, the tricolor changed teams and joined the promising Caterham team. Still riding a Suter, the tricolor signs four new podiums in Catalonia, Misano, Aragón and Valencia, results which allow him to finish the season in sixth place.
It was in 2015 that Zarco found recognition by joining his former structure managed by Aki Ajo who decided to field a Kalex for him in Moto2. After missing a first world crown together in 2011, the duo Ajo and Zarco distinguished themselves with no less than 8 victories and 14 podiums on the way to their first world title, against Tito Rabat, reigning World Champion. The Frenchman won the crown in Japan on the Motegi track, in the absence of the injured Spaniard.
With this title and despite offers in MotoGP, Zarco chose to stay in Moto2 for an additional season rather than move up to the premier category which did not offer him the sufficiently competitive place he wanted.
If the 2016 season does not start under the best auspices due to a stolen start in Qatar, the Frenchman regains victory in Argentina before another podium in Austin. He made a mistake at Le Mans, leaving his rival Alex Rins to take the lead in the standings.
Two victories in quick succession, at Mugello then in Barcelona, and the driver from Cannes equals his Spanish rival in the provisional ranking before taking the advantage in Germany. After another success in Austria, Zarco then had a 34-point lead over Rins, but then lost in Brno. Worse, Silverstone saw him score a blank result after getting on board and causing Sam Lowes to fall. In Misano and Aragon, the French driver conceded a few more points to Rins and the Spaniard began the overseas tour with only one point behind in the standings, despite the after-effects of a broken collarbone. In Japan, Rins crashed in the first lap and compromised his championship chances. Assisted by Gilles Bigot, renowned chief mechanic behind Alex Criville's title in 2000, Luthi scored two victories in quick succession in Japan and then at Phillip Island to come back to 22 points behind the French driver.
In Malaysia, the Frenchman “only needed” to win to take the crown, “It’s the simplest option,” confided Zarco on Saturday evening. “But it’s easier said than done. We will see. »
And yet, he did it today, despite very delicate track conditions, going for this second title with panache when he could have been content to finish behind Morbielli and Folger.
Some figures and facts about Johann Zarco
137: number of starts (87 in Moto2, 50 in 125cc)
15: number of victories (14 in Moto2, 1 in 125cc)
40: number of podiums (29 in Moto2, 11 in 125cc)
18: number of pole positions (14 in Moto2, 4 in 125cc)
1356: number of points scored (985 in Moto2, 371.5 in 125cc)
35: number of front row in Moto2 (tied with T. Rabat)
14: number of pole positions in Moto2 (tied with P. Espargaro and M. Marquez)
960: number of points in Moto2, 3rd behind T. Rabat (989) and T. Luthi (1240)
201: number of leading laps including 46 in 2016
Photo credit : Mediaset
