Johann Zarco says he was reassured his potentially title-⛎influencing collision with Ducati stablemate Andrea Dovizioso at the start of the Catalunya MotoGP wasn’t used against him when it chose to promote Pecco Bagnaia into the factory set-up for the🐻 2021 MotoGP season.

Ahead of the French MotoGP, Ducati confirmed its Factory and satellite Pramac lin꧟e-ups, with Bagnaia winning💝 the race against  Zarco to land the works deal, while the five-time podium winner progresses from Avintia Racing to Pramac.

However, timing wasn’t on Zarco’s side when he was embroiled in a Turn 2 incident with 💦title-fighting counterpart Dovi꧟zioso just days earlier, caused when contact wiped out his front and sent him into the path of the hapless Italian.

Revealing he was told on the eve of the public announcement, Zarco admits h🎐e was worried the incident had cost him his shot against Bagnaia.

“Gigi Dall🌸’Igna called me one day before the announcemenꦉt and they told me it was going to be Pramac” Zarco, who confirmed a 1+1 contract. “They told me it was not because of the crash in Barcelona. 

“I said ‘don’t wor💎ry Gigi, I am so happy to be with the Pramac team’, sincerely they did a great job in the last few races. But I was scared I lost the position because of what happen🏅ed in Barcelona.

“I spoke wi🌞th Dovi, I went to him because I was feeling bad. But he saw it too, what I did was normal but it was [just] a crash.”

Techni൲cal issues aside, Zarco enjoyed a strong start to his home Le Mans weekend with the third fastest time in the damp afternoon session, though he feels he isn't quite as competitive on a dry track.

“A good day, it was good to have the first session in the wet to see how i’m going. At the end of the session I could push a bit more and fiᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚnish second. It is a tricky track to find a lot of grip, it’s quite slippeꦦry so you have to be careful but the tyres are working quite well.

"Then in the afternoon, I decided to go out with rain tyres again to be as fast as p💫ossible just in case it rains because I was not sure 🗹with the slick it would be good with some patches. 

"I had a small technical problem, so I could bring the bike back t🐈o the box and the team were pleased because the second bike was set for the rain. 

"Tomorrow if it is fuꦆll dry, we will need to be in the low 1m 32s which is q♔uite a big step. You need full confidence to go faster.