P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Zarco "was thinking of stopping" before Honda MotoGP chance came
French rider Johann Zarco ended his final season with Ducati as the fifth-place rider in the MotoGP standings for the Pramac squad. He achieved his first MotoGP victory in Australia in October. Zarco has signed a two-year contract to join Honda with the LCR squad, starting in 2024. This partnership renews their previous collaboration for three races in 2019 when Zarco substituted for the injured Takaaki Nakagami. Although offered a one-year deal by Ducati for 2024, Zarco declined as he believed it would lead to a move to World Superbikes, which he felt did not match his current MotoGP performance level. After considering retirement, Zarco decided to continue racing in MotoGP after receiving the Honda opportunity, feeling renewed and energized for the next two seasons. During post-season testing, Zarco completed 61 laps on the 2024 RC213V Honda, finishing 17th and outpacing his new teammate Nakagami by seven-tenths of a second.
