Marco Bezzecchi
Johann Zarco’s sensational French Grand Prix victory marked the first time in over one year that a non-Ducati bike has won a MotoGP race.
The LCR team stormed to victory by over 20 seconds from the dominant Marc Marquez, who failed to win for just the third time in 12 races this season.
Zarco is now sixth in the MotoGP riders’ standings and helped lift Honda up to second in the constructors’ championship too.
The Frenchman is in the running for a Honda seat in 2026 and continues to do nothing but good for his reputation.
Zarco’s French Grand Prix nearly ended early after escaping through the gravel at turn one, following contact initiated by Enea Bastianini.
After avoiding the chaos, the Frenchman managed his pace and delivered an emotional victory. MotoGP fans are thrilled Honda could sign Zarco, and he may only be faster on a factory bike.
READ MORE: Johann Zarco admits he is ‘missing’ something that has prevented him becoming a MotoGP champion
Johann Zarco prevents Ducati from breaking 27-year Honda win record with French Grand Prix victory
Coming into Le Mans, a Ducati bike had won the last 22 consecutive MotoGP races. At the last race in Spain, they matched Honda’s record set between 1997 and 1998.
Few saw it coming, but Zarco put in the performance of his life in front of his home supporters, before conducting a backflip before the podium ceremony.
What he achieved was significant in many ways, but to his team and manufacturer was special too, because he protects their win record for at least another year.
Even then, Ducati would have to win 22 races in a row all over again, which is unlikely to happen now that their rivals are catching up to them.
It means that Honda and Ducati now share the record for the most consecutive premier class wins. Zarco still thinks Luigi Dall’Igna will be ‘proud’ of him.
READ MORE: LCR rider Johann Zarco admits what ‘I don’t want’ Honda telling him, it ‘doesn’t help’
Why Honda should seek to promote Johann Zarco before the 2026 season
Zarco has been the only reliable Honda rider in 2025 and accounts for nearly 75% of all the points they have scored.
He has done it on a satellite bike, and the form he would show was evident from round one of the season. Immediately, he had pace.
Luca Marini’s contract with the factory team is up at the end of the year and he will be left searching for another rider.
There would be little to lose in conducting a swap before the end of the year, where they could see how quick Zarco might be ahead of 2026.
It would offer them a chance to assess him and whether they may want to explore approaching Toprak Razgatlioglu or Pedro Acosta instead.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
