The rumour was true; and the hottest unsigned rider in MotoGP has made up his mind. Johann Zarco has signed a two-year contract with the Red Bull KTM team.
The French double-Moto2 champion will join current incumbent Pol Espargaro, also on for another two years; leaving an intriguing vacancy in the French Tech 3 team, which has also signed up with the Austrian manufacturer, promised full factory machines for two as yet unknown riders.
“It’s a great challenge for the future – a European bike with a European rider,” said Zarco. “The way KTM improved last year makes me think something is possible.”
He confirmed that HRC had approached him, and thought about the implications of being team-mate to Marquez. “I was talking with my coach, that if you are with Marquez and if you want to win races you would have to improve your riding level a lot; so I thought with that level I could be fast also with KTM. We were thinking: if you put Marc on the KTM, where would it be?”
Zarco’s deal appears to be at the expense of Bradley Smith; though the English rider was hinting there may be a place for him back at Tech 3, to continue his development role with KTM.
KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer saw it as a forward step.
“It is clear we want to take another step in MotoGP,” he said, in an official statement. “The first two years were about building the project.
“We had to trust in our capability to build a winning bike and Johann would not come over if he did not see and feel that trust. We feel very responsible now to get that package strong enough so that he can continue on the level where he is.
“You always want to get the best possible riders on board and it’s obvious with Johann beating the factory guys on satellite machinery and consistently qualifying on the front row means he is a strong fighter with a strong spirit. I’m convinced we can reach the next level with a rider like Johann with us.”
by Michael Scott
