Johann Zarco has offered explanations for his table-topping crash record in MotoGP this year – a trend that has begin to cost him more points of late.
The LCR Honda-mounted Frenchman has had more crashes than any other rider this season, with 22 falls across all sessions.
Many of his tumbles earlier in the season came in practice sessions, amid generally encouraging form and even a win at the French Grand Prix. In fact, Zarco was classified in every grand prix up to and including the British GP in May.
But then came Aragon, which saw him fail to finish on a Sunday for the first time. The Spanish event heralded a run that has seen him fall five times in the last eight grands prix.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, Zarco provided a few possible explanations for the concerning habit.
“Lately, I always say there’s a strong front [end] feeling on the Honda bike. And getting confidence on it, then maybe I try to use [this] good point too much. So that’s why I did mistakes.
“And still, we have this area where the bike sometimes doesn’t want to turn, even if the front is good,” he continued. “So then when you try to get a bit more, you’re down.
“Lately I was missing a bit of speed and then it was the only way I could try to get something more.”
Johann Zarco, Team LCR Honda
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Zarco said that his crash at last weekend’s Catalan race was different, however.
“In Barcelona, I had the speed and I got surprised. Maybe I hit a little bump but I could not control it. So that’s why. It was a pity to miss a great result.”
The 35-year-old identified a change of mindset that could help keep the bike upright more of the time.
“I think I have been crashing a lot because I tried to do better and sometimes better is the enemy of the good. So I should accept just to do good.
“I need to control a little bit more to avoid the crashes, because I’m not enjoying crashing a lot. And this is the best thing I can work on myself, because it’s about myself – trying to control the emotion on the bike and the way I can push.”
The only full-time rider not to register a fall in any MotoGP session this season is Luca Marini of the factory Honda team. The Italian did however miss three mid-season rounds following a superbike testing crash at Suzuka.
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