Tech3’s Johann Zarco says he ‘believes’ he can win Sunday’s 20–lap Malaysian MotoGP after qualifying second and top Yamaha rider.
Zarco threatened a pole challenge in the third practice session after he finished the morning outing just a few hundredths shy of pacesetter Valentino Rossi on the factory YZR–M1.
The French rider did sit top of the pile briefly in the opening stages of Q2, and on his final lap had not set any session–best sector times.
However, Zarco produced a blinding final sector to take pole with a 1m59.21s, only to be pipped by Honda’s Dani Pedrosa by a mere margin of 0.017 seconds.
Zarco reckons he can run with the front group – as he did one week ago at Phillip Island – so long as the team can improve his acceleration during the warm–up. He also hopes the title battle will stop Marc Marquez from fighting for the win.
“I believe it and you need to believe it, or else you don’t start the race,” Zarco said when asked of his chances of victory on Sunday.
“I’m thinking there are two riders fighting for the championship. Overall, Marc has the advantage, so maybe this time he can fight a bit less for the victory.
“I hope the pace I found since FP1 and then FP4, which was not the pace for victory, but if we find some step in acceleration I think I can stay with the top guys, so let’s see.
“I keep this wish for tomorrow and I wait the conditions.”
Pole man Pedrosa is expecting another multi–rider battle for the podium, and thinks strategy will be key to success with the various different machines running at the front this weekend.
“You know, here the fight is always there in this class,” he said.
“Also, and more importantly, different bikes (will be fighting) so different way of going into corners and in the strategy in the race.
“It’s a race you need some strategy, so everything is important for tomorrow.
“For sure the riders are there, and tomorrow there is a part of the race that is going to be interesting to understand how is every rider’s strategy.”
