Drivers and teams – Johann Zarco announces his arrival at Ducati Avintia in 2020 –

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Johann Zarco announces his arrival at Ducati Avintia in 2020

Drivers and teams - Johann Zarco announces his arrival at Ducati Avintia in 2020 -

The expected signing of Johann Zarco in the Avintia satellite team is made public by the former KTM rider after several weeks of intense negotiations. The Frenchman takes Karel Abraham’s place in a GP19 alongside Esteve Rabat, with a one-year contract and the hope of joining the official Ducati team in 2021 ! According to MNC information, the official announcement will be made tomorrow Tuesday. Explanations.

Following the inelegant, the announcement of his replacement by Johann Zarco was only a matter of time: it was done after three weeks of discussions between the rapid Cannes pilot and the brand from Bologna, during which strong guarantees would have been given by the director of the Ducati racing department, Luigi Dall’Igna.

  • MNC of November 25, 2019: Ducati Avintia fires Abraham to hire Zarco 
  • MNC special file :

"It was Luigi Dall’Igna telling me I could trust him that made me decide to sign for Avintia next year," Johann Zarco told our colleagues at Moto Journal. "As I still doubted the skills of the Avintia team, I went to see my former chief mechanic, Massimo Branchini. Massimo told me to trust Luigi. Luigi Dall’Igna will take care of finding me a good one. chief mechanic ".

It all started during the GP de Valence (Spain), where the promoter of the French Grand Prix Claude Michy struggled like a beautiful Quartararo devil in order to find a handlebars for Johann in 2020. The commendable efforts of the Auvergne are not without interest: the stands at Le Mans (72) are filling more with French riders on the MotoGP grid !

The n ° 5 – then on the Honda of Nakagami for his last freelance at LCR – is offered a handlebar in the private structure Ducati Avintia: "it would be a mistake to go there", he judges however in first, explaining that Avintia is not the "top team" he needs to express his talent.

Difficult to prove him wrong in view of the sulphurous reputation of the Spanish team, managed by former driver Ruben Xaus: French fans still remember the difficulties encountered by Loris Baz at Avintia in 2016 and 2017 and the reserved for Christophe Ponsson in 2018 … Ducati is therefore moving up a gear to seduce the beginner of the year 2017.

Avintia takes pride of place to shoe Zarco

"Reale Avintia Racing Team is pleased to announce its contract renewal for the next two seasons with Ducati Factory: Avintia will become a satellite team of the Italian brand and will make significant improvements that will allow another leap in quality in the aim to be a benchmark team in the paddock, "said team owner Raul Romero (right below) the day after the Valencia GP.

Drivers and teams - Johann Zarco announces his arrival at Ducati Avintia in 2020 -

In other words: Ducati is putting the small dishes in the big to simmer a reassuring welcome to Johann Zarco at Avintia, where he will have a Desmosedici GP19 and the support of three additional experienced technicians assigned to the team. 

The fact that the Italian brand is rolling out the "red" carpet for him (obviously!) Says a lot about Zarco’s attractiveness: despite his failure at KTM, the 29-year-old tricolor still enjoys a high rating with decision-makers. So much the better ! 

Zarco aims for the Top 7 and then the official Ducati in 2021 !

This value has also increased thanks to his replacement at Honda-LCR, where he expressed a sacred speed on a bike yet deemed difficult. Above all, this last-minute replacement makes Zarco one of the few riders to have taken over four different MotoGPs: the Suzuki in tests in 2016, the Yamaha in 2017 and 2018, the KTM and the Honda in 2019. Sacred CV, no ?!

Drivers and teams - Johann Zarco announces his arrival at Ducati Avintia in 2020 -

The opportunity is too good to derive valuable feedback for Ducati, which compares with Honda. Especially since Johann’s experience on the world champion motorcycle is recent: he will therefore be able to give a precise assessment of his strengths and weaknesses. With the possibility of replacing Petrucci or Dovizioso in 2021 in the factory team, if the Zarco-Ducati transplant operates favorably !

"I don’t consider that I signed with Avintia, but with Ducati," said Johann who will team up with Spaniard Esteve "Tito" Rabat. "My 2020 goal is to stay on top of tenth or even top 7 and join the official team in 2021."

Official announcement scheduled for tomorrow

According to our information, the official announcement of the arrival of Johann Zarco at Avinitia will be made tomorrow – probably through press releases from the various players concerned. Logically, the n ° 5 and his new employer should define on this occasion their common objectives while Johann could appear for the first time in the Ducati-Avinitia colors..

In the meantime, Johann Zarco will only take the handlebars of his new motorcycle in February 2020 for the tests in Sepang (Malaysia): remember that the former KTM rider did not participate in the last tests of the year in Jerez (Spain ) to treat her injured ankle in Valencia (Spain).

His new team also took the Brazilian Eric Granado, Avintia rider in the MotoE electric motorcycle world cup, to Andalusia. A way of thanking him for his two victories for the final in Valencia and his third place overall in this new championship won by Matteo Ferrari of the Gresini team.

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