It took some time, but we finally get to know where Johann Zarco will ride next season. The former KTM and Honda rider has confirmed he signed a contract with Ducati. The Frenchman will ride a 2019-spec Desmosedici GP19 for the Reale Avintia team in MotoGP.
It took a bit of persuasion from Ducati to convince Zarco to sign the deal. The Frenchman wasn’t 100% sure that this was the right move. But without a ride for 2019, Zarco didn’t have many options to continue racing in MotoGP.
As predicted, he will ride for Reale Avintia. The Spanish team ended Karel Abraham’s contract a few days ago. That decision wasn’t well-received by Abraham and many MotoGP fans. Reale Avintia’s decision was viewed as a political choice rather than a performance-based choice.
As for Johann Zarco, and although he will ride for the Ducati satellite team, the Frenchman signed a contract directly with Ducati for 2020. Gigi Dall’Igna took the negotiations into his own hands to convince Zarco to sign the contract.
With a contract now signed, Johann Zarco will need to adapt to the Ducati Desmosedici GP19. He will ride the latest evolution of the Italian prototype. He hopes to finish the MotoGP races inside the Top 10. At the end of the 2020 season Zarco wants to be inside the best seven riders in MotoGP.
Even with a contract signed just for next season, the former KTM and Honda rider says he wants to fight for a place on the Ducati Factory team for 2021.