Zarco, the hero you don't expect: wins at Le Mans, relaunches Honda, stops Ducati's record

MotoGP goes upside down at Le Mans . Upside down just like the back flip, the acrobatic somersault that Johann Zarco performs after every victory. He is the cover man and not only because after 71 years a Frenchman wins in his home race. In fact, in addition to stopping Ducati's winning streak, 22 races long, Zarco also interrupts Honda's fast, which has lasted over two seasons. The Japanese brand has not triumphed in MotoGP since the 2023 Texas GP, dominated by Alex Rins. A success that presents an analogy with Zarco's magic, but also profound differences.

The two victories are shared by the same team. Even in Austin, two years ago, the success came thanks to the Lcr team. The team managed by Lucio Cecchinello deserves credit for having given the last smiles to the most successful manufacturer in the MotoGP. A fact that gives credit to the excellent work done by this team throughout its history. The Lcr team, in fact, has already obtained great results with other riders, such as Stefan Bradl, second in the 2013 United States GP, and Cal Crutchlow, who won three times in MotoGP. Zarco can also be added to this list, but he has a very different story.

First of all, Johann arrived in Cecchinello's team at 33 years old. An advanced age even compared to those who preceded him in the same team. Furthermore, his career in the top class has been marked by numerous ups and downs. Zarco had arrived in MotoGP with two Moto2 world titles. Yet, despite often being the protagonist, the Frenchman chased his first victory for seven long seasons, from 2017 to 2023, breaking free at Phillip Island after another crazy Grand Prix. In between, Zarco experienced difficult moments, such as the disappointing adventure with KTM in 2019, which ended with the divorce after a few races. The lowest point remains the 2020 Austrian GP, ​​when the Frenchman hit Franco Morbidelli at high speed, causing him to fall: the Italian's Yamaha bounced on the track and risked hitting Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi. A tragedy that was narrowly avoided, which put Johann in the spotlight. The Frenchman was inundated with criticism, but slowly, he recovered.

The French rider's great quality is patience. A calm perhaps inherited from his passion for the piano, an instrument he plays in his spare time. It is certainly the virtue needed to develop a motorcycle with care. This is why Ducati chose Zarco, including him in the Pramac team from 2021. For the same reason, Honda signed him last year, involving him in the long rebirth. It is difficult to imagine that he would be the one to bring a smile back to the Japanese brand. But Zarco knows how to surprise like few others and he demonstrated it in the craziest race in recent years. Sensitivity to riding, a pinch of luck and confidence in his own abilities: this is how Johann achieved the perfect turnaround.