This Sunday March 20, 2022, John Zarco answered questions from journalists from the Mandalika Circuit on the island of Lombok, at the end of the 2022 Indonesian Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the French driver who obtains a new podium in the wet…
As usual, we report here the words of John Zarco without the slightest formatting, even if it is partially translated (vouvoiement in English, tutoiement in French).
Johann zarco : " I am happy with this podium! I expected to have a little more but with this amount of water at the start of the race it took me too long to be very confident. I was very impressed by Miguel and Jack who were able to immediately set a very high pace. I missed that and I also lost time, a little behind Rins but a lot more behind Jack, because at that moment I think I could go really fast and maybe try to catch Miguel or save second place before that Fabio surpasses me. But I lost a little too much time in traction, I was spinning too much when exiting corners, and even if I was strong when braking, it wasn't balanced enough to be able to overtake the others quickly. So I tried to do my best and when Fabio passed me I saw that I completely lost the podium. I had to push even harder and I was able to catch Jack because I saw that he was struggling with grip at the rear, especially on the right side. From there I was able to overtake him and got third place. I attacked during the last two laps to try to catch Fabio but he also felt very good and two laps were not enough. So a third place after a good weekend, where it is true that in 24 hours I went from a fall in FP4 to the first row, then to a race in the wet where despite perhaps a few errors you finish on the podium, it's positive. »
What did you learn today from the GP22 in the wet?
« In the wet, I think we are still missing something in acceleration. The Ducati has to be the better bike in acceleration, and at this point it wasn't in racing. So when we are able to sort that out, and keep a good front end for corner entries, then we will really have a bike to win »
How did you manage to maintain your fast pace and pass Jack Miller?
« Compared to Jack, as I said, I'm very impressed with how he immediately adapts to the conditions. Despite the large amount of water, he knew he could attack while I was wondering if I could attack or not. After a few laps, I knew I could have a good pace but the time lost at the start of the race is difficult to make up for afterwards. Then, when I was able to get behind him, I could see that he was struggling with his rear tire, so I knew that if I could overtake him, I would have the advantage. But when I was very close to him, he was also braking very hard, so it was complicated to overtake him. As I said, I lost a little time, but when Fabio overtook us, that was the moment where I said to myself “don't lose the podium” and I attacked even more. »
Last year, for the second race of the year, in Qatar, you shared the podium with Fabio Quartararo. This year, for the second race of the year, you share the podium with Fabio Quartararo. Is this a good sign for the future?
« It's only the second race of the year, but being third and fifth in the championship is good for our country. So we confirm that we can be there for the whole season if we do everything right. For my part, I had a good season last year, not as good as Fabio but I really tried to work even better from the tests in order to have a higher level in the race. So I'll see if this approach helps me have a better season than last year. »
Did the rain prevent a difficult situation in the dry, and what needs to be improved on the circuit for next year?
« The conditions were much better than in the test and the new asphalt they laid was really good, although there were two patches that couldn't dry on Saturday. But he was pretty good. I think if in the last corner the asphalt disintegrates so quickly, it's because they didn't have enough time to do it really perfectly. Maybe the conditions in Indonesia, with the rain and the heat, maybe it doesn't really help to finish the coating properly. Next year, if we have a 27-lap race, the hardest part will be more for the drivers with the heat than for the track, because I think they are capable of repairing it. So yes, it was much better than during the test, but this morning I did my warm up behind Bezzecchi and I had bruises on my neck and on my arms, so there are still little things that come from tarmac. »
What can you improve for the next race?
« To improve, we still need to work on the GP22. We feel its great potential but we still don't have the complete package to already have a winning bike. So we are working on that. I think Argentina can be a good circuit for us because it's a track that I like. Then, for the following races, we will see because each race is different and you can always have surprises. I really expected to struggle here and I was competitive all weekend, plus the rain on Sunday helped me get on the podium. So we just have to keep working like we are doing and hope to have better control of the bike, because when we have that I think I will be able to have more fun and feel stronger. »
Do you think this podium is representative of the season to come?
« I think that's the positive aspect of the category, for two years now, is that the gaps are very close, so you can have different boys on the podium. Clearly, to fight for the championship, those who are here the most often will form the top 3 at the end of the season. The podium in Qatar was a nice podium that we didn't expect, and here Miguel's start was just incredible, so I think we will have different boys. I hope that, as Fabio said, if we can repeat these kinds of podiums… and as Miguel speaks French well, we can enjoy sharing the podium together. »
Were you surprised to see the stroke reduced to preserve the coating. Would you have preferred to do the 27 laps?
« In the wet, the seven more laps would have been OK, above all because it took me 15 laps to find the confidence (laughs). For a dry race it might have been good because of the heat, because I think the 27 laps would have been very tough physically. We didn't have too many problems with the last corner during testing, but it is true that this morning, as it started to fall apart, it would have been worse much sooner than what happened this weekend . So maybe that's why they reduced the stroke, because when there start to be holes, they quickly get bigger. So it's kind of a safety solution, but you can ride on it and it's not the fastest place, so the impact from the gravel that you get in the neck is not the worst. So it was good to reduce, but I think in the rain it would have been possible to do the seven more laps.
»
You are working again with Jean-Michel Bayle and you performed well in the first two races despite two eventful weekends. Could this be related?
« Yes it's possible. It's possible because the objective with Jean-Michel is to change the approach a little during the race weekends in order to become stronger during testing and then during the race. If something happens during the weekend and it destroys you, that means that all the time you wouldn't have been doing any more laps, you can't work on it well. Whereas if you work well on all your rounds, one problem won't be enough to destroy your weekend. That's the idea. I think it can help to simply remind yourself of the situation in order to stay focused on the right things. »
How did you spend the time waiting in the box?
« I was focused for the start at 15:00 p.m. At 14:30 p.m., when it was raining heavily and they delayed the start, I was waiting in the box. I waited a long time to see how the situation was, then I went outside a bit to put on an Indonesian hat and just relax because I think my mind was already racing, ready to go. And when they said there wouldn't be any news until 15:45 p.m., I went to my office to just take off the leather, stay calm, listen to some music and play chess. I made “checkmate” in a minute and a half, and it gave me good energy to return to the box with great confidence (smiles). »
Do you think things will be more normal when the championship arrives in Europe?
« The current season is progressing normally. There are not enough people around the track yet but the public will come back and we are getting used to all the Covid rules, so little by little we can have more and more people around the track. Just the fact that we were able to have a race in Qatar and a race in Indonesia, plus the next two in Argentina and Texas, that means we are in a normal season, and then we will have a few months in Europe. It will be special because we have never done 21 races, but if we do them it will be a normal season. »
Results of the Indonesian MotoGP Grand Prix at Mandalika Circuit:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
