Johann Zarco strongly rejected recent rumours that his KTM MotoGP tro✨ubles might mean he switches to the World Sup𒅌erbike championship, with Honda, next season.

"The one who gave this information, I don't know who, shouldꦯ lose his job because it is really bullshit," said the Frenchman, in the first year of a two-year factory KTM contract.

"🧜I never spoke with Honda at any time, there is not even a picture that can show it and this in✃formation comes [out] like this.

"I don't know from where it came.♊ It looks like it came from the official website or Twitter of WorldSBK put it and they removed it.

"It was strange. I sai🐟d to Carmelo [Ezpeleta] ‘this is a big, big mistake’ because it can put me in trouble with KTM and that is not good."

Za♓rco was speaking after setting the 13th fastest lap time, albeit only 0.692s from the top and 0.3s from team-🎶mate Pol Espargaro, during Friday practice in Catalunya.

"[The close laptime] is giving me less sadness and a little bit moꦜre hope to being in Q2 tomorrow. It is OK," he said.

Like Esparga𓆉ro, Zarco was battling the low-grip track conditions but felt the carbon-fibre swingarm had helped.

"I felt immediately that there was no grip. S▨pinning a lot. But maybe in that condition I had less disadvantage because I was not fighting too much with the bike and it was not moving so much. It was possible to keep some control and finally I have less difference with the top guys.

"Yes, there is a difference [with the carbon fibre swingarm]. It brings some more grip and 🌠on this track with very low grip it was helping a lot. You go forward instead of spinning and staying in the same place. Y🌸ou spin, but you go.

"It 💙is good to have a bike wi𒀰th some grip, but it is not doing everything and doesn't change corner entry."