Johann Zarco aims for MotoGP title on Rossi’s Yamaha !
With 75 points scored in his first seven races on the M1 Tech3, Johann Zarco achieved the best start to the season ever recorded by a rookie in a private MotoGP team! What nurture high ambitions for the 26-year-old from Cannes… including that of succeeding Valentino Rossi in the official Yamaha team to seek the supreme title in Grand Prix! Ambition and no complexes: we like !
It is an understatement to say that Johann Zarco exceeds all the expectations placed on him in MotoGP: with his two consecutive titles in Moto2 (a first in this category), the French n ° 5 attacked without complex the queen class and amazes every weekend by his ability to play already in front. It all started – with a bang! – during the opening in Qatar, when he led the first six laps ahead of all the big names before falling.
- MNC of November 28, 2016 :
- Qatar GP – Zarco :
Fifth in Argentina and then in Austin, Johann moved up one row from the next Grand Prix in Spain (4th), before reaching his first podium at home at Le Mans after a race that started again as leader and finally finished second, between the winner Viñales and Pedrosa third. Seventh in Italy then fifth in Spain (first Yamaha rider, moreover), he is currently 6th in the championship with 75 points in seven races: unheard of in MotoGP for a novice lined up by a private team !
On the eve of, where, the protege of Laurent Felon draws a necessarily positive assessment of this first third of the season beyond all expectations … including his own !
“I didn’t expect such results so early in the season,” admits Johann Zarco with that humility that characterizes him. “Sure, that’s fantastic, but that’s what every rider wants. From the start I knew this bike had the potential to be on the podium and I see that I am now able to achieve it when I am able to control everything ", he explains..
"Even more motivation to aim for other podiums"
"It gives me even more motivation to aim for other podiums," said the new "darling" of French speed, whose manly overtaking of his rivals is one of the exciting features of his elite debut. And in particular those made on Valentino Rossi in Austin and then in Jerez, which showed that the French rookie had no complex in front of the experienced nine-time world champion !
- Americas GP – Zarco : ""
Even to the point of provoking the wrath of the "Doctor", who begged Johann to moderate his ardor: “”, moaned the Italian star after the GP of the Americas, passing a little quickly on the fact that he is himself very customary of muscular overtaking. Biaggi, Gibernau, Stoner or even Lorenzo can testify !
Behind this exasperation also hides the feeling of threat felt by Rossi: in view of his current results, Johann Zarco appears as the logical choice of Yamaha to replace the n ° 46, whose contract runs until the end of 2018. Problem: s ‘it seems reasonable to think that Rossi will hang up the gloves at this time (born in February 1979, he will then be a few months away from his 40 years), the Italian is not yet completely decided to let go of the handlebars…
“Everything will depend on my results and my relationship with Yamaha”, recently affirmed the prodigy of Tavullia, whose passion for motorcycle racing is intact after already 22 seasons (!) In Grand Prix. Still, this is not enough to make up for the inevitable loss of speed caused by age: Valentino Rossi only scored 83 points in seven races, his lowest score in MotoGP except for his Ducati years (2011 and 2012) and his 2010 season cut short by his injury at Mugello…
In addition, Rossi (5th in the provisional) still did not win on the eve of the 8th race this weekend, despite a superb demonstration of his genius at Le Mans … which unfortunately ended with a fall under pressure from his young teammate, Maverick Viñales. Among the drivers of the current Top 5, the 38-year-old driver is the only one not to have won: the leader of the classification, Viñales, has three, Dovizioso who follows him signed two in a row, while Marquez (3rd) and Pedrosa (4th) each have one success to their credit.
Under these conditions, the Doctor necessarily takes a dim view of the meteoric rise of Johann Zarco (currently 6th in the ranking 8 points from … Rossi!), especially as he does not hide his plan to succeed him within the official Yamaha structure.
“Succeeding Rossi would be a dream!”
“The goal is to get an official handlebars, because in my opinion that is an essential condition to be able to fight for the title,” explained Zarco. “And continuing to work with Yamaha would be fantastic: after all, why not?”, Ambitions the n ° 5 while dreaming of recovering the motorcycle from n ° 46. A real consecration given Rossi’s enormous popularity rating !
“But I have to be one of the best to deserve Valentino’s bike, I think that’s all I can hope for. So I will continue to give my all because it is a superb goal, a dream for any pilot ”, predicts the native of Cannes…
With eight victories at Assen, Yamaha is the manufacturer with the best record in the Netherlands: Johann Zarco (2nd in the "Dutch TT" last year in Moto2) will he be able to take advantage of this track traditionally favorable to the M1 for make the eyes of French supporters shine again? And why not dream of his first victory, to see him again perform his famous back somersault as below during a meeting with the public in Catalonia? ?!
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