Johann Zarco has paid tribute to wh𝄹at Marc Marquez was a💛ble to achieve with last year’s Honda.

Za👍rco has unveiled hi𒐪s LCR Honda having switched from Pramac Ducati last season.

But after te♔sting the ‘23 Honda, the worst bike on🍒 the grid which caused Marquez and co countless problems, he is left amazed by what the eight-time champion was able to do.

“I am so impressed w𓃲ith what Marc did with this bike,” Zarco said.

“He was the only one able to be in front.

“Even if he was crashing or could not fin🌄ish the races well, he was always able to be fast.

“For me, it was impossible to do on the old bike.

“I ﷽have got this new bike. I’m playing with it, and that’s g♚reat.”

Zarco’s optimism comes from 𒅌the 2024-spec Honda which he says is seven-tenths faster than a year ago.

“For me, yes. At least. So that’s great,” he said🐬.

“It’s a pleasure to start a new chapter.

“The experience with the Ducati bike was amazing.

“I got, at least, one victory!

“But it seems the story with Ducati was written.

“It was nice to take a ne♛w challenge, a risky challenge clearly.

“From the moment I signed last August, I was not ꧒ཧsigning for the best bike.

“It will b🧸e tough to fight in front, and tough to accept to be far back in the classification.

“Ultimately, with the♈ new bike, it seems that this won’t be the situation in the 2024 season.

“For this reason I am so happy.

“It’s a chance for me to write a new chapter, to ✤get a new experience, to give good comments to Honda.

“I💎f we do a good job like thi🧜s, we fight for some podiums, that would be amazing.

“Why not? I want to keep on racing in MotoGP.”

Zarco’s arriဣval as a MotoGP veteran is in place of Alex Rins at LCR Honda.

But the notab꧂le change at the Japanese manufacturer is Marquez’s absence.

They have the opportunity to fight back witಞh new concessions advantages a♋nd they hope that Zarco’s experience of developing bikes can aid them.

“Sure. They 𒅌ar💖e changing the way of thinking,” Zarco said.

“The factory team will use the LCR team.

“We will have four factory bikes, as Ducati has been doing with the factory te🧔am and Pramac.

“I ꦏarrive at a good ti𓆉me to enjoy the benefit of it.

The bike is𒈔 really new but already devel💟oping well.

“I need to trust that we can do it.

“I hope that I’m at the beg🍎inning of the development of a project.

“After the test in 🐻🌼Valencia I went into the winter with high motivation that the project would work.

“Now, after t꧒he test in Malayꦛsia, it is confirmation of the feeling I got in November.

“It brings confidಌence. You feel quieter꧙, more calm, better serenity to go to a race weekend.”

His g🍸oal in 2024🔯: “To be the top Honda would be good.

“Building resul𝓡ts to stay in 𓄧the top 10 would be good consistency for the work that we need to do.

“If I am the top Honda rider, it would be great.

Naturally you compar꧂e yourself with the same bike.

“To lead the other Hondas, it’s an advantage to develop the bike ღinඣ my way.”

Zarco, aged 33, was finally able to💞 win his first MotoGP race last season at Phillip Island.

He finished fifth in the standings, a career-🐬best result.

But hܫis challenge this year will be altogether different after leaving behind theꦗ factory Ducati bike, which was used by both Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin in the ‘23 title battle.