Johann Zarco and Honda have endured a somewhat disappointing MotoGP season in 2025. The two teams of the Japanese manufacturer opened the championship.
Zarco was in the lead. Honda For the LCR rider, he scored 55 points, which was only good enough for 17th in the championship. He comfortably beat teammate Takaki Nakagami, who will return to a test role for 2025.
The factory team’s results were worse, with Joan Mir (21 points) and Luca Marini (14) finishing 21st and 22nd. This Honda is bound to finish at the bottom of the constructors’ table, 49 points behind next-worst Yamaha.
Honda is a very successful team MotoGP Grid with 54 combined headings. But in recent years it has been declining.
In the year Since winning the Constructors’ Championship in 2019, they have finished fifth or lower in four of the five campaigns. Joan Mir’s ninth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix was their best result of the 2024 season.
Johan Zarco He admitted that the 2025 Honda bike could be ‘worse’ than the previous one
Zarco will remain with LCR until 2025, this time with rookie Somkyat Chantra. Both riders will be hoping to benefit from the work of Aleix Espargaro, who will test the team after retiring from full-time racing.
Espargaro’s arrival has caused excitement at Honda.But Zarco’s comments may weaken him. to speak MotosanThe 2025 bike has not yet been developed.
This was clear after the private test in Jerez, but fortunately, Honda still has time to solve the problems. There is less than a month left before the teams head to Malaysia.
Zarco is the oldest rider in the field and one of the most experienced. His feedback will be especially valuable, but the early rumblings are not positive for Honda fans who expect 2025 to be the start of a revival.
“So after the first test in Malaysia, even the shakedown, I’m excited to see how things go from there,” Zarco said. Because currently the 2025 project is no better than 2024. That said, it’s almost as if 2024 wasn’t served well enough, because in the end, the 2025 project is the same, albeit worse.
Asked if he would make that observation in Jerez, he replied: “Yes, I got it.”
Big reason Yohan Zarco stayed at LCR instead of joining satellite Ducati team
Zarco joins for the 2024 season after spending three years with Pramac. According to one journalist, it can now compete for Gresini or VR46.
As Marc Marquez showed last year, those seats can be tickets to victory and podiums in the right machine. Fabio Di Giannantonio will ride the 2025 special bike this season.
But LCR made Zarco feel valued. with the provision of their contract. They were able to pay him significantly more money.
In a sporting sense, this is a questionable move. But the Frenchman, who has scored 21 podiums in the premier class, clearly believes he has earned a payday in the final stages of his career.
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