MotoGP: Zarco “Taking over from Valentino would be a dream”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Johann Zarco has been upping his own paddock ante this year on track and reckons that if his form continues then he’d be an obvious choice to take over from fellow Yamaha man, Valentino Rossi. Yep.

The Frenchman bagged his first MotoGP podium in France and was then top Yamaha in Barcelona – and clearly his tail is up. Here’s what he told MotoGP. com in the build up to the Assen round of the championship this weekend: “I didn’t expect to be in this position so early this season. It’s fantastic but when you are a racer it’s the place you want to be.

“Since the beginning, I’ve felt the bike could be on the podium and now I can see that I can be on the podium when I can control everything. It gave me high motivation to push again and again to get other podiums.

“The target is to be on a factory bike. Because I think if you want to fight for the title you must be on a factory bike. And if I can be and keep working with Yamaha it would be fantastic. And, why not? I need to be one of the best to deserve to take the position of Valentino and I think it’s all I can wish, hope and push for because it’s an amazing target and a dream for a rider.”