Johann Zarco and his Honda LCR team will try this weekend in Malaysia to confirm the progress made in recent races. The French rider will benefit from developments aimed at improving rear grip, a weak point identified during the Thailand Grand Prix.
Johann zarco prepares to start the Grand Prix MotoGP de Malaysia this weekend riding a Honda RC213V Update. After a mixed performance during the Thailand Grand Prix, where he finished 10th in the rain, zarco, like its branded colleagues, faced rear grip issues on corner entry, thus affecting their exit performance.
The developments made in Malaysia are aimed precisely at remedying this lack of adhesion. I will have some updates ", told zarco before the Grand Prix. They should help. These updates aim to improve acceleration, but they should also strengthen the braking phase, especially at the time of the first deceleration »
However, the French driver remains realistic about the challenges that await him on the circuit of Sepang, saying he is aiming for a top 10 finish. If we can confirm another top 10 that would be really cool " he said. He added that the length of the circuit could work against Honda : " It's a bigger track than the last two circuits we've done, and when it's a little bigger, we lose a little more time. That's why if we can confirm the top 10, it will be a very positive development. »
Johann Zarco: “ As soon as I see the times on Friday morning, I will know if we can really hope for a Q2 or not. »
Johann zarco also expressed his desire to improve his brake feel, a concern he developed after his difficulties in the rain in Thailand. " I discovered that I had difficulty controlling the brakes as I wanted. In the rain it's quite similar to what we have in the dry, but amplified. I hope to be able to concentrate on this specific area of driving, and I will try to do so during this weekend. »
Regarding the Sepang International Circuit, zarco identified both areas where he hopes the Honda will perform well and those where it might encounter difficulties. I guess the weak point will be the penultimate corner, Turn 14, maybe a little bit Turn 15. The acceleration from 14 can be a little bit worse. Then I hope Turns three, four, five, six can be good for us, even seven and eight. It's hard to say before Friday, but as soon as I see the times on Friday morning I'll know if we can really hope for Q2 or not. »
With a mixture of optimism and caution, zarco is preparing to take on the challenge of Sepang, hoping that the updates to his machine will pay off on this demanding circuit.
