This Thursday, October 20, 2022, Johann zarco answered questions from journalists from the Sepang circuit ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The French driver has almost always been at the forefront in Australia but still has difficulty aligning the planets. This time, again, it was the start that was flawed, before making a very good comeback from 19th place at the end of the first lap... with the best lap in the race as a bonus.
As usual, we report his words here without the slightest formatting, even if it is partially translated (vouvoiement for English, tutoiement for French).
Johann zarco : " After the very good pace I had at Phillip Island, I also hope that I will be very fast here, but with a better result. I love this place in Malaysia! It's the penultimate Grand Prix of the season and I have good energy to continue giving everything I can, hoping to get a victory or another podium. So we'll see the weather: They say it's going to rain all week but that's not the case yet. With this, as usual, we would save a little energy because it is easier in the rain. Nothing more, I just tried it Ducati X2 being behind Fonsi and it was a very good experience: Very happy! I saw my physio, my technicians and a few mechanics who had the opportunity to try it today, and seeing them I told myself that I was going to put on my leathers and go for it. I asked for permission to do this and was told yes. I didn't expect to be a little scared because I've felt a lot of things on a motorcycle before, but here I wasn't in control, so I wasn't reassured. But it was OK. So it's a good experience, and even that is a good thing for the body, to sweat into the leather and be ready for tomorrow. »
What is the most impressive thing about this experience?
« I think what can be impressive, the most difficult, is braking: For the passenger, it is not easy to stand on the bike and they should find a better solution to enjoy braking more, because you suffer there too much. Afterwards, in the corners, I think what is impressive with a MotoGP is how much you can lean the bike: even with the two-seater, you can have a lot of angle, and that is special. So I think it's very interesting, and I would also say the power. But my physio told me “wow, you feel the speed, you feel the power!” » whereas for me that's where I was the most bored and it was long on the return straight, because I'm used to going 50 km/h faster. But I think for a normal person who hasn't had experience in MotoGP, the speed is enough, and even a 1000cc production bike doesn't have that acceleration of a MotoGP. »
Do you think Fabio and Yamaha can regain the advantage this weekend?
« It's difficult to say, because races always bring us things that we don't expect. So for Fabio, either he can be super strong and fight again until Valencia, or maybe not feel super comfortable and continue to suffer. It will be black or white but I can't say what the weekend will be like. I hope for him that he will be on the good side, that is to say that of pleasure and joy, which makes him very fast. »
