Johann Zarco ‘discovered’ one alarming thing about 2025 Honda MotoGP bike in Jerez private test

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Johann Zarco and Honda endured a somewhat desperate MotoGP season in 2025. The Japanese manufacturer’s two teams propped up the championship.

Zarco was the lead Honda rider for LCR, scoring 55 points, but that was only good enough for 17th in the championship. He comfortably beat teammate Takaaki Nakagami, who steps back into a test role for 2025.

The factory squad’s results were even worse, with Joan Mir (21 points) and Luca Marini (14) placing 21st and 22nd respectively. Inevitably, this saw Honda finish bottom of the constructors’ table, 49 points adrift of next-worst Yamaha.

Honda are the most successful team on the MotoGP grid with a whopping 54 combined titles. But they have been in a state of decline in recent years.

Since winning the constructors’ championship in 2019, they’ve finished fifth or lower in four out of five campaigns. Joan Mir’s ninth-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix was their best result of the entire 2024 season.

Johann Zarco admits the 2025 Honda bike may be even ‘worse’ than its predecessor

Zarco stays with LCR for 2025, this time alongside the rookie Somkiat Chantra. Both riders will hope to benefit from the work of Aleix Espargaro, who will test for the team after retiring from full-time racing.

Espargaro’s arrival has generated excitement at Honda, but Zarco’s comments may dampen it. Speaking to Motosan, he revealed that the 2025 bike isn’t yet an improvement.

This much was clear after the private test in Jerez, but fortunately, Honda still have time to address the issues. There’s just under a month to go before the teams head to Malaysia.

Zarco is the oldest rider in the field, and one of the most experienced. His feedback will be especially valuable, but the early noises aren’t positive for Honda fans hoping 2025 marks the start of a revival.

“So after the first test in Malaysia, even the Shakedown, I am curious to see how things will progress from there,” Zarco said. “Because at the moment, the 2025 project is not better than the 2024 one. And that means that, in fact, it is as if 2024 has not served enough, because in the end the 2025 project is the same, if not worse.”

Asked if he’d made this observation in Jerez, he replied: “Yes, I discovered it.”

The big reason Johann Zarco has stayed at LCR instead of joining satellite Ducati squad

Zarco joined LCR for the 2024 season after spending three years with Pramac. According to one journalist, he could be racing for Gresini or VR46 right now.

As Marc Marquez showed last year, those seats can be tickets to victories and podiums on the right machinery. Fabio Di Giannantonio will ride the 2025-spec bike this season.

But LCR made Zarco feel valued with their contract offer. They were able to pay him significantly more money.

In a sporting sense, that’s a questionable move. But the Frenchman, who’s scored 21 podiums in the premier class, clearly believes he’s earned a pay-day in the final stage of his career.