The idea germinated during the off-season and the agreement was finally finalized before this Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez: from the French Grand Prix, the eclectic Jean-Michel Bayle, former motocross world champion but Also speed driver with Carlo Pernat, will work as supervisor of Johann Zarco.
What is behind this title?
Today, Johann zarco must face both the consequences of his difficult separation from Laurent Fellon and the development of a particularly reluctant KTM RC16. A situation that is anything but easy in which time seems as essential as it is paradoxical in an environment where we count in fractions of a second...
At 28 years old, the French pilot has therefore decided to surround himself with a man of great experience who, we hope, will give him the necessary perspective when exercising his profession consisting of multiple tasks carried out in a very stressful environment. .
He confided in our friend Neil Morrison to crash.net, this Monday in Jerez.
Johann zarco : “I talked to him a little this winter, but I wasn’t ready. I spoke to him last week and it was finally Pit (Beirer) who announced it before me! That's because Pit Beirer is very excited that this kind of guy, with a lot of experience, can give me support after I end my affairs with my ex-coach. There were some decisions on my part, but when it comes to performance and the technical side, maybe I'm losing something. To have someone different, with a totally different experience and a different approach…”.
“In Grand Prix, with the difficult development that we are doing, the objective is to better control stress to maintain the freedom of mind that a high-level driver needs. Overall, it's just about controlling that stress during a GP. The last two races, Argentina and Austin, were complicated because this feeling made me very depressed. Jerez was a little better, but also because I shared my feelings with him from afar. So “controlling the beast” by an older guy with good advice is more of that support. Then there will be technical things. Maybe he can see some things on the track too. We will see ".
Will this be a relationship that only exists during race weekends, or Johann zarco does he also plan to train with Jean-Michel Bayle ?
“It can be training and training advice. But just from what he saw, it looks like my method wasn't bad. It is a complete project (KTM). I am almost responsible for taking this project to the top. I need to control a lot of details. It can be a person who helps me be like a boss.”
“I am very respectful of what Pol (Espargaró) did. But now we're on one level, and we need to move on to another level to get to the top."
Today, the job of MotoGP rider has nothing to do with what was happening just 10 years ago. We can no longer count the multiple functions that have appeared over the years, all responding to very specific needs to allow high-level athletes to concentrate as much as possible on their riding in an increasingly demanding environment: physical coach, mental coach, press officer, helper, etc.
In the image of Valentino Rossi, even the most experienced and seasoned need it, and the word “team” then takes on its full meaning.
Johann zarco has just added a card to his deck: we can only hope that the combination works!
