It may not have been the end to the #QatarGP that Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) dreamed of, but it was certainly the start. Taking the lead following a fantastic launch off the line, the Frenchman was disappearing into the desert when he then crashed out of contention.
The rookie performance certainly caught a lot of attention, with Zarco’s talent on top display in MotoGP™ as the reigning Moto2™ World Champion makes the step up.
Johann Zarco, DNF: "Despite the end result, I am happy and it was so good to lead the field in my first race. This morning, we had a longer warm up because there wasn’t any action on Saturday. The track was not perfect, but my feeling was very strong and my grid position, which was 4th, was close to the top. Just before the start, the procedure was disrupted because it rained twice and there was a delay. When the GP finally commenced, I was focused and I could see that I was not far from first so I wanted to take the opportunity to do well. I know that my starts are strong and I overtook some good riders at the first corner and I then got into a consistent rhythm. I kept pushing but on the sixth lap, I decided to relax, and maybe I went off the racing line a little bit and then I fell at the second corner. This is a shame but we are always on the limit and I still need to learn the category so this kind of mistake is part of my lesson as a rookie in MotoGP. I am happy in the end, it’s a pity about the result but it’s important for my confidence and I am excited for the Argentina round."