Every MotoGP driver spends his summer holidays in his own way. Fabio Quartararo attended the French Formula 1 Grand Prix last weekend, and Ducati pilots had to entertain the public at World Ducati Week 2022 in Misano. The most successful racer of the factory, Johann Zarco, shared with the guests of WDW-2022 his thoughts on the first half of the World Championship.
This is one of the most successful seasons in Zarco’s career: he is the best of Ducati at the end of 11 stages, 3rd in the MotoGP championship after Fabio Quartararo and Alyosha Espargaro.
Johann is a unique type. First, he is the only 2-time Moto2 champion in the world. Secondly, he is a loner, he does not even have a manager who would manage his affairs and finances. Finally, Zarco no longer has a secret patron behind his back, as he had in 2018-2019 in the person of French Grand Prix promoter Claude Michie.
Now Joan is completely owned by Ducati, and he likes it: “For me, Ducati is not just a brand. Ducati does not make “ordinary” motorcycles, but makes extraordinary motorcycles available to everyone. I have always been “sick” of Ducati in a good way, any of them is a fetish for me. It’s hard to explain. To understand this, it must be experienced, as I experienced. That’s why participating in World Ducati Week – the first in my career – means so much. After this day, after participating in the Misano parade, I can responsibly declare that I understand, because I experienced it myself.”
At World Ducati Week 2022, the factory organized a large parade of club members, which was attended by all the stars of the world championships, including Joan. Ducati Holding President Claudio Domenicali led the parade.
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All that Zarco lacks at the moment is the first victory this season, which could push him to better results in the second half of the year: “I lack something for this. I haven’t figured out what it is yet. But if I can finally win, it will be an important step up. I think I have yet to unlock the potential of Ducati 100%. I feel like I haven’t had a chance to give it my all yet, I’m missing just a little. Therefore, I hope that the second half of the season will allow us to do this and will go better,” admitted Joan.
Fabio Quartararo is still the clear favorite, but he will start the second part of the season with a deliberate false start: after a failure and a fall in Assen, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP pilot will have to perform a Long Lap penalty on Silverstone, which should throw him 5-6 positions back in the race. The controversial decision of the Stewards will not be reviewed, so the Ducati and Aprilia pilots have a real chance to push the Quarararo and win back some points on the long and fast Silverstone ring.
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“Nevertheless, he is the leader of the championship! Zarco continues. – I like that Fabio wins races. France has been waiting for this breakthrough in the Grand Prix for a long time, because we, the French, have a significantly different mentality from the Spaniards and Italians. We need victories to keep up the spirit.”
“But it is more difficult for us to achieve this, because MotoGP is a very expensive sport, and it is getting more expensive every year. There are no such budgets in France. We cannot prepare so many children for the future in the Grand Prix, as they do in Spain.”