The most recent l’Équipe Magazine, out on May 13th, features an eight page spread on Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) as the French rookie gears up for his MotoGP™ debut on home soil in Le Mans. The article covers the sudden superstar’s explosion onto the world stage in the premier class, with words from people around the Tech 3 rider such as Team Manager Hervé Poncharal, Chief Mechanic Guy Coulon and his Coach Laurent Fellon - as well as input from the man himself.
You must make yourself respectedThe star of the front page speaks, amongst other things – of his desire to see MotoGP™ and motorcycle racing get a higher profile in France:
“I want motorcycling to be less anonymous in France because it’s an incredible sport […] My six laps in the lead in Qatar made more impression than my two World Championships in Moto2™. And then there was my attack on Rossi in Texas…”
Regarding the episode at the Circuit of the Americas with Valentino Rossi, Team Manager Poncharal fully supports his protégée: “What Valentino said about Johann is a form of initiation. I said to Johann that if you behave like a B-class rider, you will remain one. You must make yourself respected.”
The article also looks at the character of, in the words of Coach Laurent Fellon, ‘the rider who’s climbed the steps one by one’. Other than the determination on one side of Zarco’s character, Guy Coulon also describes a unique personality:
“Not since Olivier Jacque have we had so much interest, and Johann deals with that very well. He wants to revive the sport in France. We weren’t wrong about him and every day we find out a bit more about him. The other night at the team barbecue, he sat down at the piano and played Michel Berger. The guy is a real original and he has a good mindset.”