The second podium of the season seemed a done deal for Johann Zarco, but sometimes the races are cruel and the Frenchman went from attacking second place on the last corner to losing third under the checkered flag. Even so, the Frenchman can smile for several reasons. “It was an incredible race – explains Zarco – and I’m happy to have fought for victory, even if Marquez pulled the pin and got away in the final. The start was complicated and I had to accelerate a lot to avoid contact and lost a lot of positions. Afterward I had a lot of confidence and traction, especially in the flowing parts, which made me good at a lot of positions. The team did an excellent job, especially on Saturday when we made a big step forward with fine-tuning. “
The central stage was a permanent duel, as confirmed by number five, followed by the bitter end mentioned above.
“I’ve had moments on the track that I never thought I would experience in my life – continues Johann – so it is a positive thing to have had this experience. Rossi was really good at braking and closed all doors as best he could. On the last lap I was third and tried to push myself into second place by accelerating him out of the last corner. I changed my line to pass, but instead of coming in second, I found myself in fourth. It’s a real shame I missed the podium, but I have to appreciate what I’ve learned. It was the best race in the championship, even better than Le Mans, where I was on the podium, but without a fight. “
Today’s satisfaction does not end for the Frenchman because with his placement today he has arithmetically earned the title of Rookie of the Year.
“This result is very satisfactory as there were many fast drivers like my team-mates Jonas, Rins and Lowes. The title of Rookie of the Year was the main goal of the season. Jonas was not an easy opponent who also took a great second place at the Sachsenring. In any case, a little consistency helped me achieve my goal. Now I want to try to keep sixth place in the championship standings – the driver with number 5 closes – which would be even better than the title of Rookie of the Year. “