Johann Zarco: Honda Expectations Shift After Poor Performances
Johann Zarco recently declared that Honda’s terrible form had pushed the team to reassess their goals for the 2024 MotoGP season. Zarco, along with the other three Honda riders, Joan Mir, Luca Marini, and Takaaki Nakagami, have been fighting amongst themselves at the back of the field for much of 2024.
At the Assen Grand Prix, Zarco was the best Honda rider, finishing in 13th place. However, he was more than 42 seconds behind Francesco Bagnaia, who won the race. This disappointing performance illustrates the crisis that Honda is facing.
“When I signed for the LCR team, I thought it would be possible to finish in the top ten, but I was wrong,” Zarco told GPOne. “For now, we are racing without goals and only with the will to experiment. Maybe between now and the end of the season, the top ten will be possible.”
Zarco’s words reflect a harsh reality for Honda. “Surely, the podium is unrealistic. If in 2025 we end up battling for victory, it would be a real surprise,” he added. At the beginning of the season, Honda was still competing with Yamaha, but their Japanese rivals made progress, leaving Honda behind. Now, Honda riders are generally competing amongst themselves, struggling to stand out amidst numerous difficulties.
Zarco also commented: “If we compare ourselves with Quartararo, we are still quite far behind his performance, and he is at the same level as the others ahead. We are in a race within a race. If we look at Pecco, what lies ahead becomes even clearer.”
The frustration is evident among the Honda riders. The performance gap compared to the main competitors, like Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia, is significant. Zarco emphasized that, as riders and as a brand, they cannot accept this situation. “We have to keep working,” he affirmed.
The current situation of Honda in MotoGP is in stark contrast to its past glories. The need to reassess strategies and goals is critical. The 2024 season has so far been a constant struggle to improve performance and find viable solutions to the problems faced.
Zarco’s expectation of finishing in the top ten proved unrealistic, pushing the team to adopt a more experimental approach for the rest of the season. The focus is now on finding a path to recovery, even though the road to the podium still seems distant.
Zarco’s words highlight the need for significant adjustments in Honda’s approach. The disappointing performances so far require a complete review of strategies and perhaps even expectations. Honda, once dominant in MotoGP, now faces a monumental challenge to regain its leading position.
The 2025 season is seen as a possible turning point, but only time will tell if the changes implemented will be enough to bring Honda back to the top.
