English
Italiano
There is no denying it, if there is an electric atmosphere in Le Mans, it is thanks to Johann Zarco and his results, which make him even more of a hometown hero. The fans already showed their affection today and the Frenchman repaid them with the fifth place time. “I can manage the pressure well and I have improved in that area – the number 5 rider begins – It’s nice to have all these fans supporting me. It was cool this morning and, even though it was sunny, I had to take care not to crash, but lap after lap, my confidence improved and that is positive. We worked in the afternoon and with the soft tyre we improved, but I still feel like we need to find the right setup to be fast from start to finish in the race.”
One thing that came out already today is the fact that, compared to other races, Zarco’s is not the only fast Yamaha on the track.
“I don’t know why the Yamaha is so fast here. Le Mans is a small track where you never push the bike all the way to the limit and you have to be fast on all the corners. Speed on turns is important and that may be a reason why the Yamaha works well here. Plus, the base of the bike is good on this track and already from the first laps you are on the right path in terms of chassis architecture, so you can focus on the small things.”
The word ‘victory’ obviously came up, but the Frenchman held back.
“Another backflip? I hope to be able to do it soon, and why not here? In any case, if it doesn’t happen, it isn’t a tragedy. Marc did the best time with the hard tyre and that means that he is fast. On his part, Viñales has a good pace with used tyres, so I would say that all the best riders are right there.”
What is certain is that Zarco is aware of his chances, which are constantly improving.
“Compared to last year, I feel like I have improved. Struggling and crashing, I found the right riding style. Today I feel like I can be fast from the first lap, so I am ready sooner and better than last season.”
