The Tech3 team has exercised its option to keep Johann Zarco for the 2018 season. On Thursday, the two parties reached an agreement that will see the Frenchman stay with the team for a second year.
The agreement was anything but a surprise. Both Zarco and his teammate Jonas Folger are on “one plus one” contracts, a one-year contract with an option to extend it for a second year, but Tech3’s general policy has always been to automatically extend the second year.
For rookies such as Zarco and Folger, this allows them to focus on adapting to the new class, rather than having to worry about results, and push themselves into a mistake.
In the case of Johann Zarco, there was even less doubt that his contract would be extended. The Frenchman has been exceptional in the first four races of the season, mixing it with the podium regulars and far exceeding expectations.
Signing the extension at Zarco’s home Grand Prix was the ideal opportunity to maximize media exposure.
The contract extension is the best option for Zarco as well. With all of the current factory riders on two-year deals, there are no vacancies in factory teams. If Zarco continues to develop as he has so far this year, the Frenchman’s name will be at the top of a lot of factory bosses’ wish lists for 2019 onwards.
The big question is whether Valentino Rossi retires at the end of 2018, making room in the factory Yamaha squad. But if Rossi continues, there will be plenty of other opportunities for Zarco.
With Zarco signed, attention in the Tech3 team switches to Jonas Folger. Zarco’s exceptional performance has rather overshadowed the fact that Folger has been riding very well indeed, and is on course for a very strong first season.
There seems little doubt that Folger will get his contract extended as well, and like Zarco, the most likely place for that to be announced is at his home Grand Prix, at the Sachsenring on 2nd July.
Source: Monster Yamaha Tech 3
This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.
Comments