On this Saturday, October 17, Johann zarco answered questions from journalists from the Motorland Aragón circuit at the end of the second day of the Aragon Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the French pilot.
As usual, we report here the words of Johann zarco without the slightest formatting, even if the first part is translated from English (vouvoiement).
Johann zarco : " A tough Saturday, because since this morning, but it had already started yesterday with the fall in the afternoon, I lost a lot of confidence, and that didn't help me today to really do a good job. In the morning it was possible to improve but I was too worried about not falling again, so in the end it was impossible to do well. In the afternoon, I'm not too disappointed with the qualification because it's simply the result of this lack of confidence, but the time was correct. From this, I will try to rebuild the confidence tomorrow afternoon. There is clearly a huge difference between the morning and the afternoon, and I can attack again in the afternoon and find the feeling again. So we will see tomorrow, and with a good start we can hope for a good race. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for that. We are working and maybe this is a good place to better see our weak points, either on the bike or on me. In this regard we have two weeks to improve and I think this will also help us for the next races »
Does it usually take you time to regain confidence after a fall, or is it specific to this one?
« It's specific to yesterday's fall because during the fall I rolled a lot in the gravel and my neck was painful. So when you can't move well, even if I have a good chiropractor with me, it doesn't help you attack. And above all because it was during the afternoon and the temperatures were not bad yesterday. However, I fell, simply because of a lack of temperature, so you don't know what to do because I didn't make a mistake and I didn't take too much of an angle. It was just a little bit faster, which is normal if you want to improve, and I crashed. That's why this one really stopped me »
Yesterday you said you were open to helping another Ducati rider. It wasn't necessary and it's a bit of a culture that is hardly present in MotoGP. But next year, could you ask the team to give instructions, if necessary?
« For him, he only missed a tenth to advance to Q2. Petrucci clearly had a good time and he is fighting for himself. I did the job well because I stayed at the bottom of the rankings all day, so I protected myself (editor's note: at this moment, Johann burst into a sort of fit of laughter). Maybe it was like my strategy in the morning, where I said to myself “I have no chance of improving, so I’m going to stay in the box” (laughs) »
What is the plan for tomorrow regarding tires?
« Perhaps the mid-forward can work if temperatures are higher, as it looks like tomorrow may be the best day of the weekend in the afternoon. In this case, the midrange can be very good. Even though I haven't tried it, we know this tire, but as I lack confidence at the moment, we will go soft/soft, then it will depend on the temperatures in the afternoon. »
How does the Ducati behave on this circuit, with a little more temperature?
« I have always had a lot of trouble on this circuit. Márquez has always hovered over the debates here and what I have to work on on the Ducati, and what is not my strong point is to really force the front brake, braking with a lot of angle. So I understand why I've always had trouble here, because you have a lot of turns like that, and you almost have to do everything like that here. When the temperature increases, I can work on it better, but when there is less temperature, even if it's my weak point, I really can't do it because the bike doesn't react at all and so it's often falls. And then you lose confidence. But as soon as the temperature rises, you feel that you can do it, and at that moment I find myself in my zone of understanding to get the best out of the bike. I think it remains a circuit where the engine can help, and in the race it is an advantage, and I hope that Dovi will make a good comeback so that I can follow this momentum a little to hang on to the group in the first 10 . »
Technically, do you have a bit of an idea why the Ducati is struggling more than the others?
« No. Maybe Ducati, yes, but I don't try too hard to know technically, because otherwise it's extra information. So I have a hard time knowing why but I think they still have their own idea. It's a bike where if you don't work its front end well... That remains its strong point: If you make it work well, you have a blast, but as soon as you leave this zone, you can make it work, you have even more problems because you can't compensate elsewhere. Except in the straight, but for a moment, to be good in the straight you still have to exit the turn well and prepare for it well. I can only analyze it like that, with years of experience. »
How do you perceive the current disorder and the checkered results at Ducati?
« I'm trying to take it almost as a lesson for next year, to be much stronger and not suffer a bit of these hazards linked to the conditions. Less suffer from them, following track changes. We have to show that with this attack that I want to use, we can be efficient even when it's difficult, and be very efficient when everything matches. So I project that in my head, and thanks to my experience, even if Dovizioso has it, to perhaps be able to understand the mistakes he can make and not do that next year to be almost number one Ducati and really play in front all the time. I can see it, but since there was also a case of Covid at Ducati, we can no longer cross paths. If we have to see each other, it's by phone and there is even less contact than during previous Grands Prix. I'm still on good terms with my mechanics, but for example Gigi no longer comes to avoid having too much contact. So I don't know how it's going, but when I see that we're not consistent, we definitely have to correct that for next year. And I hope to be able to be that driver who can do both things. »
Today it was 19° in the air and 27° on the ground. How much warming do you estimate necessary for it to work well tomorrow?
« 27° on the ground, that’s interesting. It "grips" correctly and I can't complain too much about the track conditions at the end of qualifying. But because I took too long this morning, and especially because I lost confidence yesterday, it makes sense to stay in Q1. But if we go around 20° in the air, the track will be around 30°, and there we will be in a zone where we can work. A track around 20°, for me it's not impossible but it's always a gamble. »
Even on a difficult weekend, you seem more relaxed than before...
« Yes. After qualifying, I wasn't smiling and I was upset. After analysis, you say to yourself “If you already don't want to ride because you are cold and you could fall, how can you work properly? ". You're already off to a bad start. So I recognize that, but I don't doubt myself because I'm not the only one having trouble. To reassure ourselves, we will say that we can resume this Ducati situation, even if Miller still performed well this afternoon. But now, from experience, I don't want to let myself down too much because I'm in the process of rebuilding my confidence and motorcycle management. »
How can we explain Dovizioso's angry gesture, even though it's not at all his habit?
« I don't know if it was more because he had the balls against Petrucci. He's doing his best, but if he doesn't get this time, Dovi is in both. This is perhaps where he would much like support from the team or his teammate when he is in difficulty. Maybe that's it. I analyze it like that, without knowing it. But I won't ask for it, it's none of my business. »
MotoGP Aragón Grand Prix Q2 standings:
MotoGP Aragón Grand Prix Q1 standings:
Photo credit and rankings: MotoGP.com
