Andalusia GP: Zarco (9th) happy to have "scored important points"

Johann Zarco signs his first Top 10 on Ducati at the Andalusian GP in Jerez, second MotoGP 2020 event contested after the opening on the same circuit. The former KTM rider expresses satisfaction, despite his very significant gap on the winner Fabio Quartararo … Debriefing.

Johann Zarco, Ducati Avintia (15th in qualifying and 9th in race) : "I finished the Andalusian race in 9th position, happy to score some important points for me. It’s a further improvement because I had better sensations than last week, so it was a constructive weekend ".

"Congratulations again to those who are writing the history of French motorcycles! See you in the Czech Republic (August 7-9, Ed) to continue to progress!"

• Andalusian GP:
• Andalusian GP – Qualifying: 
• MNC file : 

MNC analysis : The performance of Johann Zarco this Sunday in Andalusia is, on paper, likely to satisfy the Cannes driver and his new Avintia team: the n ° 5, qualified at a distant 15th place on the grid, finishes his second race on the Desmosedici in an encouraging 9th place. 

Six positions won on a bike that Johann discovered – otherwise known to be difficult – in scorching conditions which put a strain on organizations such as mechanics: the proof with the frustrating breakdowns suffered on the Ducati de Bagnaia, then brilliant second, and of Morbidelli who played the Top 5 on his Yamaha Petronas SRT.

Considered from this angle, the copy made by the double Moto2 world champion is positive, especially as Johann Zarco – above in front of his "old friend" Pol Espargaro, who will overtake him shortly after – gains two places compared to the first race last Sunday in Jerez and he finished second Ducati rider at the finish.

A top 10, but…

Mission accomplished, therefore, for French? Not exactly. On the one hand because the teammate of Tito Rabat points to some 23.523 sec to the winner, Fabio Quartararo. Almost a second in the lap yielded to his compatriot … More worrying: Johann Zarco only reduced the gap very little compared to the previous Sunday, when he crossed the finish line in 11th place at 25.100 sec from the same pilot.

However, despite the trying weather conditions, the track at Jerez made it possible to slightly accelerate the pace: as evidenced by the 41’22.666 that Fabio Quartararo took to sign his historic double this Sunday, a full second faster than seven days previously (41 ’23 .796).

Johann also benefits from the many withdrawals to reach a Top 10, access to which would have been much more complicated otherwise. No less than eight pilots threw in the towel on breakage or fall: Bagnaia, Morbidelli, Binder, Petrucci, Miller, Espargaro (Aleix), Lecuona and Oliveira. Not to mention the absence of Marc Marquez and the courageous Alex Rins and Cal Crutchlow who finished 10th and 13th respectively despite their barely healed injuries.. 

Of course, those absent are always wrong and being able to stay on his wheels in these conditions is to be credited to the former KTM rider. But his ambitions are noticeably higher while the time at his disposal to achieve them is counted with this season in "sprint" format … Go, Johann !

Andalusia MotoGP Grand Prix 2020 results

1. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha 41’22.666
2. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha +4.495
3. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha +5.546
4. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda +6.113
5. Joan MIR Suzuki +7.693
6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati +12.554
7. Pol ESPARGARO KTM +17.488
8. Alex MARQUEZ Honda +19.357
9. Johann ZARCO Ducati +23.523
10. Alex RINS Suzuki +27.091
11. Tito RABAT Ducati +33.628
12. Bradley SMITH Aprilia +36.306
13. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 1 Tour

Not classified

• Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 6 Laps
• Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha 9 Tours
• Brad BINDER KTM 13 Laps
• Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 14 Laps
• Jack MILLER Ducati 15 Tours
• Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 17 Tours
• Iker LECUONA KTM 20 Tours
• Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 0 Lap

Provisional MotoGP classification 2020 

1. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha 50
2. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 40
3. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 26
4. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda 19
5. Pol ESPARGARO KTM 19
6. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 16
7. Jack MILLER Ducati 13
8. Alex MARQUEZ Honda 12
9. Johann ZARCO Ducati 12
10. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha 11
11. Joan MIR Suzuki 11
12. Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 9
13. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 8
14. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 7
15. Tito RABAT Ducati 7
16. Alex RINS Suzuki 6
17. Bradley SMITH Aprilia 5
18. Brad BINDER KTM 3
19. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 3

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