Zarco: “I’m happy to be back with the top guys”

The Frenchman has had some tougher races of late but said Assen was a step back to the front

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) has been struggling a little to repeat his scintillating early season form of late; something discussed by Team Manager Herve Poncharal at the Dutch GP. But Assen was, for the two-time Moto2™ Champion, something of a turnaround – in his words, he got back in the mix with the ‘top guys’.

“Great race,” smiles the Frenchman. “I’m happy I was able to ride the bike well from the start, fight and overtake riders and get back to that good group. In the group, they weren’t so fast but it wasn’t easy to stay with them and take the opportunities, then in the end with seven laps to go I struggled a bit with rear grip on the right side, and I couldn’t keep strong pace. But a good start, good few laps and a strong race make me happy.”

The key thing, he repeats, is to be back with at the top – but to also still be sitting so far up in the Championship. The fight for the crown is over with Marquez so far ahead, but second remains within reach…

“I’m happy to be back with these top guys – a little far, but we’re still fourth in the Championship. To keep the position in the Championship even when we have a difficult weekend is a nice way to race. So I’ll just keep dreaming about this second place – Marquez is over for me, but from Valentino to Maverick, me and the guys behind me…we can dream about second.”

Now it’s time for Sachsenring, where Zarco had a more difficult weekend last season as a rookie. But his then-teammate Jonas Folger didn’t – pushing Marquez for the win right to the flag. Zarco says he’ll be looking through how the German did that then, and trying to replicate it on the 15th July.