CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco performed commendably, finishing 8th in the Friday Practice at the Motorland Aragon Circuit.
The
Frenchman and the crew have carried out a fantastic job today. In the afternoon session, their strategy paid off: Zarco managed to be among the Top 10 for most of the session. At crunch time, he pushed and nailed the job, crossing the line as the 8th fastest of the day, a position that places him straight in Q2.
Today’s performance marks the first time the team has gone to Q2 this season, which gives hope and light after a struggling period. Considering the bigger picture, Saturday’s qualifying and Sprint will be essential to improve some details and do the best possible job on Sunday’s race.
Johann Zarco 8th
“Today’s result is like a small victory for us, but I want to keep my feet on the ground because the important sessions are tomorrow’s qualifying and Sprint and then the race on Sunday. In any case, it’s been the best practice of the season so far. The track conditions were strange, but I expected that because I’ve trained here. Regarding the time attack, it was good! The new engine has helped me use the new tyre, which is positive. We’ll try to do better tomorrow!”
Challenging Friday for Nakagami in Aragon
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider finished 22nd on Friday at the Motorland Aragon Circuit. It was a tough beginning of the weekend for Nakagami and the crew. In one of the rider’s favourite tracks, he struggled to find the feeling that would allow him to push and squeeze the potential of his package, as he experienced a tremendous lack of grip due to the current track conditions.
Despite the challenges, Nakagami and the technicians are not
deterred. They are committed to finding a solution, using the valuable data gathered to improve ahead of the Sprint and Sunday race.
“The new surface is completely flat, which is good, but there is a huge lack of grip, and it’s difficult to lean the bike. It wasn’t easy to understand how to do a good job. I felt better at the end of the FP1, but it was not enough to improve in the afternoon. I couldn’t find any grip, so I suffered throughout the entire session.”
Unfortunate Sprint Race for Johann Zarco
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco crashed on Saturday’s Sprint due to a contact with a rival.
Starting from the 10th spot of the grid and having experienced one of the most consistent weekends of the season so far, Zarco and the crew had high hopes ahead of Saturday’s Sprint. However, at the first lap, six corners into the Sprint, a rival got Johann, and he ended up on the gravel. The rider is fine and hasn’t suffered any
consequences, which is the main thing. The team’s unwavering support and Zarco’s resilience are the bright side of this incident.
Sunday’s race will be another opportunity for Johann and the crew to aim for the top 10.
“I tried to avoid an incident entering turn seven, and I went wide. And then, trying to get back on track, another rider took me and made me crash. I’ve reviewed the incident, and I believe he could not see me due to the circumstances. Luckily, I’m fine because the impact was quite severe. This is part of racing. We’ll try to do a nice race tomorrow.”
Demanding But Solid Sprint for Taka Nakagami at Aragon
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Takaaki Nakagami has crossed the line 14th on Saturday’s Sprint in Aragon.
From the 17th spot of the grid, Nakagami carried out a solid Sprint under sweltering conditions. The rider admitted having felt better than in other races, but as per current track conditions, he felt a lack of grip and some chattering, which prevented him from pushing and reaching the points. Tomorrow’s race will be another
opportunity to fight.
“The main issue today was understanding the track conditions. I’ve noticed that most riders have struggled due to the same problem. I couldn’t push the way I wanted because missing the line just a bit meant losing everything, so I tried to avoid mistakes. I’m pleased with our pace during the Sprint, although we couldn’t reach the points. We’ll try to take a step ahead of tomorrow’s race.”
Johann Zarco Gets Points in Aragon
CASTROL Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finished 13th on Sunday race at Motorland. After a consistent and positive weekend, Frenchman Zarco faced the Sunday race intending to fight for the Top 10. However, due to track conditions, the rider didn’t feel confident enough to push and therefore couldn’t nail the planned job. Controlling the situation, he managed to stay clever and crossed the line 13th.
“I
made some mistakes because the track conditions were tricky, and I couldn’t squeeze the bike’s potential. In any case, this weekend has been positive for us: we’ve taken a step forward and confirmed that there is potential to recover from the current situation.”
Nakagami Scores Points Again at Aragon
IDEMITSU Honda LCR rider Takaaki Nakagami has ended 11th on Sunday race at Aragon. Japanese Nakagami has carried out one of the season’s most consistent and exciting races. Starting from the 17th spot of the grid, he immediately imposed his pace, overtook riders, and fought for the Top 10. He managed to keep an intense battle for the 10th position, and in the end, he crossed the line 11th, grabbing points again and being the first Honda
in the classification.
“I’ve always liked this track. Despite not facing our best moment, we’ve done a good job this weekend, and I’ve enjoyed today’s race. The bike allowed me to push more than usual, making me have some fun. I want to thank the team for their job!”
