ZARCO MAKES MOTEGI TOP 10 AFTER STRONG REHABILITATION

Johann Zarco’s recovery from a devastating crash in Barcelona has progressed faster than many expected. The LCR Honda rider badly damaged his left knee, but returned at the Aragon Grand Prix without undergoing the knee operation that had initially seemed necessary. He says surgery is not currently planned.

“We don’t need an operation for now,” Zarco explained in Japan. “My meniscus has shifted. As a kind of provision for my old age, it will have to be put right at some point after I’ve finished my career.”

The Frenchman is pleased with his rehabilitation, although he has adjusted his training. He has swapped some of his previous routine for more time in the gym and has also been playing paddle. A recent hike in the mountains went well, he said, and he can now run short distances again. Most importantly, he reports that the injury is not holding him back on the motorcycle.

His results since returning have backed up that confidence. Zarco has scored in five of the six races since his comeback, including at Aragon, where he collected points despite a long-lap penalty. At the Austrian Grand Prix he finished 10th, making him Honda’s leading rider; Luca Marini was 14th, behind stand-in Takaaki Nakagami.

Honda will have a particularly large presence at Motegi, with Zarco joined by Marini, Diogo Moreira, Somkiat Chantra and wildcard Nakagami. Joan Mir, who finished third at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, is absent through illness, with Chantra taking his place.

Zarco was surprised to find that Motegi’s track surface had been renewed. “Honestly, I don’t quite understand it, because the surface was still in really good condition last year,” he said. He added that Nakagami had already tested the 1000cc Honda on the new asphalt, giving the team useful information. Zarco expects the changed surface may also mean a harder tyre compound will be used.

Honda’s preparations for the weekend included announcing an extended partnership with Red Bull and unveiling a historic livery marking 60 years of the manufacturer’s involvement in the premier class. The team’s efforts to return to the front of MotoGP were on display as it arrived at its home round.

Friday brought a difficult start for Honda’s Japanese-made bikes: all four premier-class crashes involved riders on them. Nakagami broke his collarbone in FP1, while Marini and rookie Moreira also fell during the important timed session. Zarco’s crash was more alarming. While downshifting into the final corner, his bike began to buck at the rear and got away from him, throwing him onto his hip. “It hurt quite a bit for a moment, so I needed some time,” he said. “But it’s only a bruise – I’m fine and I’m not worried about it.”

Zarco had been fifth in FP1 and stayed inside the top 10 in timed practice, but was 10th before his final attempt. With less than five minutes remaining, he feared the fall would leave him in Q1. “I really didn’t want to end up in Q1,” he said, believing he could have improved from 10th to a low 1:43 lap and around fifth place. Rivals failed to knock him out of the top 10, and he held on by just 0.004 seconds.

“The bike works fabulously, but we still need to set it up so we can use everything it offers,” Zarco said. He expects the team to make a significant step on Saturday, adding that there is plenty of potential if they get the setup right, but catching rivals will be difficult if they do not.