Zarco: To end up in the top five is awesome

Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco has branded his fifth place in the Argentine Grand Prix as ‘awesome’, after the Frenchman battled his way through from 14^th on the grid.

Zarco’s pace in practice on the hard tyres made many paddock onlookers sit up and take note, and the French rider genuinely believed a challenge for the podium was a realistic target.

He was caught out by the conditions in qualifying and had to start from 14^th, but this did not deter him. After just 10 laps on Sunday, Zarco found his way past Pramac’s Danilo Petrucci for fourth, and was setting a searing pace on the hard rear tyre.

“I began the race from 14^th on the grid, but this did not concern me too muc because my feeling on the bike was positive and I knew that I could ride well,” he said.

“In the grand prix everything came together and I was able to fight and overtake my opponents.”

The Tech 3 rider locked horns with the equally hard-charging Alvaro Bautista in the latter stages of the race, the pair swapping positions constantly. But the Spaniard’s pace proved to be just a little too good for Zarco and he was unable to keep him at bay.

Zarco took the chequered flag nine seconds adrift of Bautista in the end and only 15s back from race winner Maverick Vinales on the factory Yamaha.

Disappointed to miss out on fourth, Zarco is still ecstatic with his first MotoGP top five finish after the heartbreak of crashing out of his debut two weeks prior in Qatar.

“It was also a bit challenging because a lot happened in the group that I was in, but I kept calm and attacked when I could whilst I held my rhythm and position,” he added.

“Halfway through the GP I was fighting for fourth, but in the end I couldn’t keep Bautista’s pace and he had a good race.

“I did my best and after the crash in Qatar, it was important to meet the chequered flag and get some points, but to end up in the top five is just awesome so I am very pleased with the result.

“It’s a happy day for me and we can leave Argentina knowing that we did a good job.”

Sunday proved to be a good day all round for the Tech 3 team, with Zarco’s team-mate Jonas Folger bringing his YZR-M1 across the line in sixth despite suffering with illness.