Portimão came as a shock to Johann Zarco: he came to Portugal at the top of the championship but then crashed in the closing stages of the race. “I had a little problem with the seamless. I shifted down two gears instead of one, so the engine braked harder and I couldn’t do anything to save myself with a crooked bike, ”explained the Pramac rider. But from tomorrow they will have time and a chance to make up for this on a track, Jerez, that doesn’t seem like a bad dream for Ducati anymore.
“We all know this track well and we know it’s difficult to use the Desmosedici’s potential on the straight, but my confidence is high thanks to Bagnaia’s performance here last year.“Remarked the French rider. “I know that if I fix a few things while driving, I can fight for the podium, even for victory if everything is perfect.”
As he said, Pecco is currently his point of reference.
“Jerez is one of the lowest-speed tracks, which means that we can’t make up for what we lose in other areas on the straight,” continued Zarco. “In addition, on tracks like this, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right cornering feel with the Ducati. But Bagnaia has proven that you can be fast on narrow or guided routes like Jerez, but also Portimão and Misano. I just have to find the right automatisms when riding. These allow you to think less and be faster. In Qatar, with more time to adjust the bike, I had shown that I could get on the podium, and I was close in Portimão before I crashed. “