Johann Zarco has told Honda exactly how to find four-tenths ‘for free’ at MotoGP Sepang Test

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Honda were the biggest strugglers during the 2024 MotoGP campaign but have hope that they can find more performance in their bike in 2025.

Johann Zarco suffered his second-worst season since entering the sport last year, as he finished 17th in the riders’ championship.

The LCR Honda team managed to win a race courtesy of Alex Rins in 2023, but they followed it up by failing to register a top-seven finish with either of their riders last season.

There are two more years before MotoGP’s regulations change, meaning that Honda cannot afford to rest on its laurels and expect to compete. They must find gains themselves.

Aleix Espargaro is already starting to love Honda’s new bike at the Sepang Test, which is a promising sign for their satellite team.

The highest-placed Honda rider managed sixth on day two of the Sepang test, as Joan Mir sat just under six tenths behind lead rider Franco Morbidelli at the conclusion of running.

Johann Zarco says Honda will find four-tenths ‘for free’ by fixing vibration problems

While the LCR team don’t expect to be competing for wins, being in the mix for top 10 finishes won’t do them any harm.

Zarco rejected a Ducati satellite deal in favour of LCR for a ‘huge reason’ after feeling more valued by their contract offer.

Since joining, he has battled with a poor Honda bike and fought to bring it back into contention. His hard work paid off at the end of last season with some top-10 finishes, but there’s a long way to go still.

READ MORE: Lucio Cecchinello makes ‘big’ admission about Honda placing Somkiat Chantra at LCR

Honda still haven’t fixed a vibration problem with their bike and he thinks that there are four-tenths on the table if they can rectify the issue.

“In 2024 we had vibration problems and they still haven’t been resolved,” he told GPOne.

“Here we suffered from them less than during the race weekend because the track is in monstrous condition, but if we managed to eliminate them we would find ourselves with four-tenths for free. Unfortunately, however, everything still vibrates and we don’t understand what it is.”

How Honda will find it difficult to do worse than record-breaking 2024 MotoGP season

The 2024 season was officially Honda’s worst year as a MotoGP manufacturer, with Zarco’s eighth place at the Malaysian Grand Prix being their only top-eight between their four bikes all season.

A San Marino Grand Prix aero package improved turning last year, but their improvements have been incremental.

By continuing to be plagued with issues such as vibrations, they are leaving seconds of time on the table at every race.

They’re leaving their riders with an almost impossible task, and this year the LCR team has a rookie onboard too with Somkiat Chantra.

Without much experience, the 26-year-old faces a tough rookie campaign as his manufacturer fights to catch up with the four organisations ahead of them.