Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco delivered a strong performance on Saturday at the Buriram Test in Thailand, finishing fifth with a best lap time of 1’29.467.
The Frenchman completed 74 laps on the first of two scheduled testing days ahead of next week’s race, working through a structured programme despite a challenging start to the session.
“It was a tough day, as I struggled a bit at the start,” Zarco admitted. “By the end, we managed to be fast and set a good lap time, but we still need to improve to feel more comfortable.”
Zarco’s persistence paid off as he steadily built pace throughout the day. As the #5 rider, he secured a top five finish on the timesheets, underlining the competitiveness of the package.
Despite the encouraging result, Zarco believes there is still more to unlock. While the pace is evident, he acknowledged that he is still searching for the confidence needed to push at the absolute limit.
“We know the bike is competitive, but we need to find its full potential and the right setup. It’s a work in progress. We are looking for that ‘really good feeling’, we’ll see tomorrow,” he added.
With one more day of testing remaining, Zarco and his team will focus on fine tuning the setup in pursuit of greater comfort and consistency ahead of race week.
