**”Zarco Celebrates ‘Victory’ with Sprint Points in Mandalika as Honda Shows Progress”**

Johann Zarco celebrates Mandalika sprint points as a MotoGP triumph

LCR Honda racer secures initial 2024 sprint points in Indonesia

Johann Zarco considers earning points in the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix sprint akin to a win, as Honda's noticeable advancements remained evident on Saturday.

The French rider advanced to the second qualifying round for the second occasion this year at Mandalika, and subsequently secured his best grid position of the season by placing seventh on his RC213V.

In the 13-lap race, Zarco competed fiercely among the riders vying for mid-pack positions within the top 10, ultimately securing an eighth-place finish. This achievement marked HRC's second set of Saturday points for the 2024 season.

This outcome comes after the Japanese brand's best grand prix performance of the year at Misano last week.

"I'm thrilled to have made it past the first qualifying round," said Zarco.

“It felt like the first win of the day. Securing P7 in the second qualifying session also happened thanks to some confusion caused by a few crashes. So, it was perfect.”

During the race, I managed to keep up with the second group, which was posting impressive lap times, and I was able to stay on their tail.

"I even made attempts to overtake Maverick [Vinales] at times. So, I'm really pleased with that. I hope the pace won't be the same tomorrow because it's challenging to maintain this speed for double the laps."

"Typically, using the medium rear tire would slow us down somewhat. However, I felt confident with this medium rear tire during Friday morning's session."

"We were unable to test it today, so we will find out tomorrow. However, earning points in the sprint feels like a win, especially since we were having difficulty reaching the top 15 in recent races."

"Today I finished in eighth place, so I'll accept that and hope for another opportunity to remain in the top 10 tomorrow."

Several modifications, such as the addition of a new aerodynamic fairing at Misano, have improved the Honda's cornering and stability. Moreover, the RC213V now offers slightly better traction compared to its performance earlier this year.

Although acceleration is currently the main shortcoming of the RC213V, Zarco believes that he now has a clearer sense of the necessary feel on the bike to maintain his competitiveness in upcoming races.

He remarked that it appears possible for them to achieve a top 10 finish this weekend.

"I also sensed that being part of this group brings a unique energy that motivates you to stay concentrated and perform at your best, driven by the joy of achieving something significant, like a victory that propels you to the peak."

"I can't predict what will happen next, but this move might provide us with additional insights."

"Additionally, the sensations I experienced on the track were more positive compared to what I felt at Misano. Now, I understand that this is the level of feeling I need to achieve in future races to remain competitive."

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