Zarco staying grounded after Le Mans ecstasy

French Grand Prix hero Johann Zarco does not expect his task to become any easier this season as he bids to become a regular MotoGP frontrunner.

Zarco finished as the runner-up in front of his home fans at Le Mans on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha machine but despite taking a significant step forward, the premier class rookie is keeping his feet on the ground and is under no illusions over the challenge he faces in his quest to reach the top.

Asked in the post-race press conference if his job would now become simpler, Zarco said: "It's always difficult to push yourself at the limit but I know this track now for many years.

"It took a lot of effort to do a good job, so it cannot be easier because we have top guys in the front who are champions for a long time and they understand for many years how to push every weekend. I want to be part of them."

Zarco wrapped up back-to-back Moto2 world titles last season and although his rostrum result at Le Mans represents a very special moment for the 26-year-old, his second world crown in 2016 remains his most cherished achievement.

"I live in the present, in the moment, and the emotion of the second title has been very high and I cried a lot on the podium because the pressure was more high. In Moto2 and even in 125 in the past it [Le Mans] was the only Grand Prix when people recognise you and say 'Zarco, podium', so you say 'yes, yes', and then at the end of the weekend you realise you had too much pressure and I didn't ride well.

"I didn't want to do this kind of mistake and when I started on Friday and Saturday morning also, I feel this kind of pressure. From FP4 I said take it easy and from then it has been the perfect weekend until now. The emotion is more for the title because it builds up from the first race, all the championship from 18 races, but at the moment it is the fifth race and I am learning and discovering many things and I love to be there on the top."

Zarco finished off the race strongly but he says his consistent pace was more to do with the performance of his YZR-M1 rather than any specific physical training to aid his endurance over a race distance.

"I didn't prepare specially physically to finish better the race, my weak point was the spin and the acceleration and again, in Argentina it was difficult, spinning a lot, and then in Texas I was able to stay with the top guys until half-race," he said.

"In Jerez it has been the last third of the race that I lose the contact, so Monday's test in Jerez was a good day to try something and feel more comfortable with tyres after 15 or 20 laps and this has been the most important thing to stay there."