Honda’s downturn in efficiency has continued into the brand new marketing campaign, with the RC213V nonetheless lagging behind rivals regardless of the work that went into upgrading the bike over the winter.
The Japanese producer returned empty-handed from final weekend’s Americas GP, with Luca Marini ending sixteenth and final within the sole-surviving Honda, as Zarco, LCR team-mate Takaaki Nakagami and manufacturing facility rider Joan Mir all retired with unrelated points.
The non-score got here 12 months after Alex Rins guided the LCR group to a shocking victory on the Circuit of the Americas, a venue the place Marc Marquez had beforehand been unbeatable on the manufacturing facility bike.
However Zarco doesn’t see Honda’s lack of ends in the early a part of the 12 months as a trigger for concern, as he feels the model has what it takes to show round its fortunes.
“I am nonetheless constructive,” he stated. “We do not have to be pessimistic, as a result of we knew that it was going to be tough with this actually new challenge. Honda modifications so many issues.
“It is easy to say we want time, however that is it as a result of on races the place Honda was performing effectively [like Austin], in the meanwhile we did the worst.
“Once we evaluate to different bikes, we clearly see that one thing is lacking.
Johann Zarco, Staff LCR Honda
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“[We] do not have to be pessimistic as a result of I actually assume there are not any secrets and techniques on the technical aspect, simply issues to know and we’ve the capability of the individuals to know it.
“However perhaps we have to see it in one other manner, one other prism, one other technique to see issues.
“So long as I may give this power I gave on the bike and provides this clarification as a result of that is my high quality as a rider, we are going to go ahead.”
Honda MotoGP boss Alberto Puig admitted that he is “confused” as to why the “good enhancements” made on the bike haven’t yielded the specified outcomes on observe to this point.
He had beforehand advised a giant increase in Honda’s efficiency is feasible by the summer season break, as the complete affect of its operational overhaul turns into clear.
Zarco stated a irritating outing at Austin will solely function a reminder of the place it wants to enhance, because it continues to carry new components on the bike and benefit from the brand new concessions system.
“We perhaps weren’t aggressive. It is simply as effectively taking a beating like this to essentially realise some issues,” he instructed French broadcaster Canal+.
“We actually appear to be in a special system. There are not any secrets and techniques, Honda will discover [solutions], as a result of they’ve revolutionised issues a lot that they should discover once more their bearings a bit, however I am attempting to analyse it this manner.
“Clearly, we need to combat and we will not, so I am gutted. I pedalled after the few laps I did, to sweat the frustration out and let it go.”