GP of Portugal – Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal – Used DUCATI

Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal

GP of Portugal - Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal - Used DUCATI

Johann Zarco’s first and last season at Avintia ends with a 10th place at the 2020 Portuguese GP and 13th overall, just a small point behind former official Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci. Encouraging for next year with the Ducati 2020 at Pramac! MNC declaration and balance sheet.

Johann Zarco, Ducati-Avintia (7th in qualifying, 10th in race, 13th overall): "The choice of tires seems not to have been the right one. I really believed that with this type of rear tire the left side could be better and give me more stability , but from the middle of the race I started to have difficulties then it got worse and worse ". 

  • GP of Portugal:
  • GP of Portugal:
  • MNC file :

"It was then quite hard to keep my pace and a good position: I am clearly a little disappointed because I lost too much time at the end. We have to work to find better settings with the suspensions and the management of the tires. . The chemistry between my style and the bike is not yet perfect, but it improves with each session ".

MNC analysis : Last rather difficult race for Johann Zarco, who however crossed the finish line of the GP of Portugal in 10th position despite a bad choice of tire, contact with Joan Mir and an untimely triggering of his airbag ! 

 GP of Portugal - Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal - Used DUCATI

The Cannes driver, among the few to have opted for an asymmetric rear tire, found himself in difficulty with this rubber softer on the right than on the left: his rivals with the symmetrical solution did not encounter this problem, which inevitably gives rise to regrets for the French driver… 

This error of appreciation reflects his lack of expertise with the Ducati, which can easily be explained to the extent that he has only been driving it since this year in a team which has hitherto subscribed to the "rear posts". Recall that Johann is also coming out of a demanding year marked by his mid-term separation with KTM, his interim on Nakagami’s Honda and the fear of leaving MotoGP. !

 Portuguese GP - Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal - Opportunities DUCATI

Other complications during this final: an attempt to overtake a little manly Joan Mir, at the origin of a contact fortunately without consequence. "I felt it," admits Joahnn, who also rode with his airbag inflated under his suit after heavy steering around the last corner. !

"This is to say if things move on this bike so that the airbag is activated on its own", smiles the French who finished 13th overall with 77 points (against 78 for Danilo Petrucci who precedes him on the official Desmosedici).

This position in the championship is not really extraordinary, especially considering his 6th place in 2016 and 2017, but Johann nevertheless won his bet: to mark the spirits and the decision makers Ducati, thanks in particular to his pole and his podium in the Czech Republic..

Espargaro throws oil on the fire, Zarco delighted for Lorenzo Fellon

This Portuguese Grand Prix was also marked by two events concerning Johann Zarco: his engine failure in free practice 4 and the announcement of the arrival of Lorenzo Fellon – son of his former manager, Laurent Fellon – in Moto3 Grand Prix in 2021 in the SIC58 Squadra Corse team.

 Portuguese GP - Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal - Opportunities DUCATI

Victim of a mechanical problem in FP4, Johann was indeed forced to return to the pits while his motorcycle was emitting large swirls of white smoke. Problem: n ° 5 crossed turn 15 diagonally, running the risk of spraying the asphalt with oil and causing falls. 

This episode immediately earned him the murderous remarks of his old friend Aleix Espargaro, quicker to moan on social networks than to develop his Aprilia … The Spaniard accuses the French of "ignoring others: the problem is that he never learns anything ", chokes the brother of the former teammate of Johann !

Zarco immediately explained himself about this incident and his decision to cross the track: "I have already encountered this kind of breakdown with the Ducati and I knew that there would be no loss of oil on the track. I knew what I was doing, so there was no penalty ". 

GP of Portugal - Johann Zarco leaves Ducati-Avintia for Pramac after a Top 10 in Portugal - Used DUCATI

His argument convinced the officials, who did not sanction him as provided for in the regulations … to the chagrin of Espargaro: "Another good job from the race director, who takes no sanction against a MotoGP rider who cross the track with a broken and smoking engine. Unbelievable ".

This "crisis" evacuated, Joahnn welcomes with sincere joy the arrival in the Moto3 Grand Prix of Lorenzo Fellon, son of his former manager with whom he has been at odds since the KTM episode. The 16-year-old pilot from Avignon – whom Johann saw growing up when he was staying with Fellon – joins the SIC58 team after finishing 5th in the Red Bull Rookies Cup.

"I am very happy for him", appreciates Zarco. "He is currently the fastest French rider in the small categories: I have no doubt that it can do it well. Will I go see him in his box to advise him? No, because that there is still too much, let’s say, animosity towards me with his parents: time will still be necessary to digest all these stories ".

  • MotoGP grid 

In 2021, Johann Zarco will drive a Desmosedici GP20 at Ducati-Pramac, where the 30-year-old from Cannes will team up with debutant Jorge Martin with increased support from the Bologna brand. To be continued on MNC: stay connected !

Portuguese GP 2020 results (MotoGP final race)

  1. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 41’48.163
  2. Jack MILLER Ducati +3.193
  3. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha +3.298
  4. Pol ESPARGARO KTM +12.626
  5. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda +13.318
  6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati +15.578
  7. Stefan BRADL Honda +15.738
  8. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia +16.034
  9. Alex MARQUEZ Honda +18.325
  10. Johann ZARCO Ducati +18.596
  11. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha +18.685
  12. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha +18.946
  13. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda +19.159
  14. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha +24.376
  15. Alex RINS Suzuki +27.776
  16. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati +34.266
  17. Mika KALLIO KTM +48.410
  18. Tito RABAT Ducati +48.411

Not classified

  • Lorenzo SAVADORI Aprilia 3 Tours
  • Joan MIR Suzuki 10 Tours
  • Brad BINDER KTM 23 Laps
  • Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 0 Lap

MotoGP riders general classification 2020 

  1. Joan MIR Suzuki 171
  2. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha 158
  3. Alex RINS Suzuki 139
  4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 135
  5. Pol ESPARGARO KTM 135
  6. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 132
  7. Jack MILLER Ducati 132
  8. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha 127
  9. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 125
  10. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda 116
  11. Brad BINDER KTM 87
  12. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 78
  13. Johann ZARCO Ducati 77
  14. Alex MARQUEZ Honda 74
  15. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 66
  16. Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 47
  17. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 42
  18. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 32
  19. Stefan BRADL Honda 27
  20. Iker LECUONA KTM 27
  21. Bradley SMITH Aprilia 12
  22. Tito RABAT Ducati 10
  23. Michele PIRRO Ducati 4

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