Dutch MotoGP: Zarco: No backing off in the rain this time
Johann Zarco led from pole position for🌟 the opening el🐬even laps of last year's Dutch TT.
But when rain drops arrived, the rookie was spooked by the u𒀰nknown situation and made the wrong call to a pit for his wet bike.
"When it began to rain, I was really scared with the slick tyres,𝓡" Zarco said aft💙er the race. "We are already on the limit when it's dry so you can imagine when it's a little bit wet.
"I didn't want to take this risk and I took the decision to come in꧟to the pit."
Johann Zarco led from pole posit🍰ion for the opening eleven laps of last year's Dutch TT.
But when rain dro🐻ps 🧔arrived, the rookie was spooked by the unknown situation and made the wrong call to a pit for his wet bike.
"When it began to rain, I was really scared with the slick tyres," Zarco said after the race. "We are already on the limit when it's dry so you can imagine when it's a li♒ttle bit wet.
"I didn't🔥 want to take this ri♈sk and I took the decision to come into the pit."
However the rain didn’t intensify and most ot🅷her rಌiders rightly stayed out on slicks, leaving Zarco to finish 14th.
"If it was raining mor🍨e then I could be a god. Finally, from hero you go to zero but it's part of the game."
Ahead of this year's Assen event, Zarco has pledged not to back off if the same situation arises on Sunday.&ꦡnbsp;
“Last year the race has been difficult, because it was 🦋raining a little bit and I was scared to crash, so I did the wrong decision to come back to the pit lane. So, this year, I’m going to see what 💙the weather will be like.
"I want to be on the top. I think it’s a track,𝔍 which is also good for the Yamaha, Valentino is always incredibly strong there and it means, I can also do great things with m𒉰y bike.
"Therefore, I will try to push a🤡ll the time and even in the ra𝔍ce, if it’s raining a little bit, I will keep full throttle to stay with the top guys.”
Zarco will start the eighth round of the seaꦏson holding fourth in the world championship, just four points from factory Yamaha's Maverick Vinales.
Yamaha ꦜhas not won a race since Valentino Rossi's victory at Assen last season.
Meanwhile,🌺 Zarco's team-mate Hafizh Syahrin has dropped behind Franco Morbidelli in the Rookie of the Year contest after a fall from ninth in Catalunya.
“I will👍 try my best for the Assen r🎃ace because I want to finish the race in the points again and try to make the same like in Barcelona from FP1 to race day before I crashed," said the Malaysian.
"I hope I can do well there☂, as I know from last year, that the Yamaha bike works really good there. Furthermore, I hope the conditions will b🥀e pleasant as well.
"I keep working hard on myself and try to be ready 🃏wℱith the team from FP1. I want to fight for the best rookie spot and aim to go to Q2 for the first time.”
Free practice at Assen starts on Friday.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Mar🦂quez’s injury issꩵues.
