Johann Zarco’๊s brilliant adaption to the uniquely difficult Suzuka 8 Hours has 🐽been detailed by a veteran of the race.

Zarco won the i𒁃conic endurance race in Jap𝕴an with Team HRC during the MotoGP summer break.

It was his first💯 attempt at the Suzuka 8 Hours, a race which has vastly different ꦜdemands to a MotoGP weekend.

“It’s nothing to𒈔 do wiꦑth the MotoGP project. The bikes are different, the tyre manufacturer is different,” explained Sylvain Guintoli, a veteran of the Suzuka 8 Hours, to TNT Sports.

“The Suzuka 8 Hours is a one-off. Honda have been strong, it’s a very s𒊎pecial project.

“It is a Superbike-based bike, very differe🤡nt to Mo🔯toGP. It’s a race where fuel consumption plays a big role.

“It’s a strange race because of the conditions. Since I’ve been there, since 2017, this year w🗹as the hottest. It was so hot and so humid.

“It was great to see Zarco h꧙ave fun. He did great. He didn’t know ಌthe track, he had to learn it. He had a private test prior to the race weekend.

“He was quick on the Honda.”

Zarco delivered victory alongside teammates Takumi Takahashi and Teppei Nagoe. It w🅘as Honda’s 30th win in 45 editions of the race in the home country of the manufacturer.

Takahashi se🍰t a new record by winning it for the eighth time.

But, at times, Zarco was the stand🌊out Honda rider.

“He was, by a small margin, on the time attack,” Guintoli explai🌸ned.

“For the top 10 t🌸rial, which is specific to Suzuka qualifying, he did really well.

“In race stints he was very quick as well.

“His teammate Takahashi is a special🍒ist. He was strong, as well.

“It’s a difficult race, a completely different prospect to a ra🌳ce in MotoGP.

൩“The Sunday grand prix in MotoGP is a sprint of 45 minutes. Suzuka is, for each rider, three stints of about an 💜hour. You have to manage yourself, the tyres, the gaps, the pace, the pitstops. It is a very different exercise.

“Johann, for his first time the🅺re, did a perfect wee🐻kend.”

Neil Hodgson emphasised the important of🍌 the race to Honda: “No 1 is MotoGP, No 2 for Honda in twoꦆ-wheel sport is the Suzuka 8 Hours.

“To win the MotoGP title and Suzuka is almost parallꦬel. That’s how much onus they put on that event.”

Choosing Zarco to compete, who is in his first year as a Honda rider, rathe🍸r than a rider with more e😼xperience with the manufacturer proves his seniority within their project, Guintoli believes.

“I🌜t shows how much faith the༺y have in him,” Guintoli said.

“He has joined the Hon൲da project with so much enthusiasm, he’s so happy to be there to give feedback and improve the MotoGP project.

🐼“He has gelled with LCR. It’s a result of the positive attitude he has, and also his speed. He has o🌃ften been the quickest of the Honda riders.

“It’s important for them, if you go into the Suzuka 8 Hours, that money isn’t the first motivation. I😼t is a very hard race, probably the hardest race in the world. It is so diffic💞ult.”