Johann Zarco not ‘closing door’ on Motegi victory hopes

Johann Zarco says he will not “close the door” on hopes of securing a maiden MotoGP victory, and believes starting second for the Japanese Grand Prix gives him a “chance”

The Tech3 Yamaha rider has not scored a podium since he was second at Jerez back in May, with his fifth-place finish in Thailand his first top five result since then.

However, the Frenchman has finished all dry sessions this weekend inside the top three and put on a serious challenge for pole position, but was denied by 0.068s in second by Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso. 

With Honda's Marc Marquez – who will start from sixth – looking win the title on Sunday, and with  Dovizioso needing to outscore him by two points to ensure he has to wait until Australia, Zarco sees this as an “opportunity” to potentially take a debut premier class win.

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“I don't close the door for the victory, you never know what will happen,” said Saturday's top Yamaha rider.

“An opportunity tomorrow is they [Dovizioso and Marquez] are fighting for the title and I think Marc, like in Valencia [last year], he can be very strong but maybe he will think a little bit more this time. 

“When you are on the track, I can't say that you feel it, but you start [to think] there is something to catch. 

“I will see, being second place is this chance to see what happens in the race and see if I have the chance.”

Commenting on his final qualifying lap, Zarco blames a “little mistake” at the last corner for costing him pole, but admits he “cannot be disappointed” having “struggled” for pace in so many races this season. 

“From FP1 [I had] a pretty good pace and just a track I like,” he added.

“When you start well the weekend, you can do better work, because if you do something wrong you can immediately come back on something good. 

“This is useful to build up everything. In qualifying, with the seconds tyre I got a pretty good feeling, first lap a 1:44.8s, I thought that was already good. And the last lap I tried to do it, but this last sector is quite difficult. 

“I don't know if it's about the braking in corner 11, but this last chicane I got some problems.

“In the last lap I did a little mistake, so I cannot be disappointed to miss the pole position because after so many races struggling it's just a pleasure to be in second place and feel good things for the Sunday.”