Zarco Optimistic about Reducing Disadvantages against Marc Marquez at Portimao
Honda MotoGP rider Johann Zarco is optimistic that the negative impact his team-mate Marc Marquez will face during this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix will be reduced, especially after the Spaniard’s victory last year After the performance at the Portimão circuit.
Marquez performed well in Portimão last year, taking pole position with a clever qualifying strategy and displaying competitive pace throughout the race. Commenting on Marquez’s performance, Zarco confirmed that he admired the Spaniard’s pace on the Portuguese circuit. This leads Zarco to believe that the Honda team may face a minor disadvantage compared to other circuits, as is the case in Qatar, where Zarco is the best RC213V rider but still competes with other competitors.
Although Zarco realizes that at ideal pace he’s still losing a few tenths of a second per lap, Zarco is happy with the way he’s riding the bike and sees the heats as an opportunity for the team to improve and grow. He stressed the importance of knowing your bike’s weaknesses and working to improve them throughout the season.
Meanwhile, his teammate Takaaki Nakagami is also looking forward to the Portuguese Grand Prix, where he hopes to find new parts to improve the bike’s balance and performance. Nakagami struggled in Qatar due to a lack of backhand grip, but he believes the improvements he has made since then can lead to a more competitive performance in Portimão.
Therefore, Zarco and Nakagami are optimistic about Honda’s performance in Portimao. They believe the lessons learned in the first race of the season and the improvements made to the bike will help deliver even better performance on the race weekend. Now we just have to wait and see how the team performs on the tough Portuguese track.
All in all, Zarco is confident that the Honda team can narrow the disadvantage against opponents such as Marquez at the Portuguese Grand Prix, and is determined to strive for better results this weekend.
