Folger: More to come after breakthrough MotoGP podium in Germany
Tech3 Yamaha rider Jonas Folger believes his breakthrough ride to second in last weekend's MotoGP German Grand Prix can act as a springboard for similar results in the future
Folger pushed Honda's Marc Marquez during Sunday's Sachsenring race, enjoying a five-lap spell in the lead and staying within one second of the reigning champion before his tyres "gave up".
He was still able to record a first podium since his graduation to the premier class, finishing a comfortable second ahead of the second works Honda of Dani Pedrosa.
"I wanted to prove exactly what I did - that I am not only fast in practice and can get one or two good results in the rain," said Folger.
"I [proved] also I can be strong on such a weekend, where I have a lot pressure, at home, that I can stay calm and turn the pressure into something positive, that I can be a strong rider.
"I believe there is a lot more to come."
Folger's second place marked the third time in six MotoGP races that the satellite Tech3 outfit has beaten the works Yamahas of Valentino and Maverick Vinales.
The factory pair finished fourth and fifth respectively in Germany, and for the past two rounds have been experimenting with new chassis.
"The factory team has problems right now and struggles, I believe on the chassis side," Folger added.
"But we are not looking at them.
"They have big concerns, as Johann and I are beating the factory team.
"But we concentrate on ourselves and try to make the best out of what we've got."
Folger's team-mate Zarco, who took Tech3's first podium of the year in his home race at Le Mans, recovered to finish ninth in Germany after qualifying 19th - a week after taking pole position at Assen.
But while his lowly grid slot was in part thanks to rain during the first part of Sachsenring qualifying, Zarco conceded he thought he would not have been capable of matching his team-mate's pace even if he had started higher up the order.
"Even if I started from the second row of the grid, like Jonas, I could not have this pace," said Zarco.
"I did all my laps in 1m22s, and he did the race in under 22s.
"Maybe it was possible to have fourth or fifth like Vinales and Rossi, because I had their pace, but the podium was not possible for me this weekend.
"I'm really happy for what he did, it's good for him, good for us also, for the team it's fantastic."
Jack Miller set to take Scott Redding's Pramac Ducati MotoGP seat
Pol Espargaro says KTM can be 'really proud' of its start in MotoGP
Double F1 race winner Jean Pierre Jabouille has died
Former French Formula 1 driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille has died on Thursday at age 80, French media have reported.
IMSA champion Jarvis to contest full ELMS season with United Autosports
Reigning IMSA Sportscar Championship title-winner Oliver Jarvis will contest the European Le Mans Series with United Autosports alongside Formula 2 convert Marino Sato, in addition to the World Endurance Championship.
20 years on: Porsche’s 911 GT Daytona 24 Hours giant-killing relived
IMSA’s new GTP class for LMDh cars had a more auspicious debut last weekend than the Daytona Prototypes that arrived in 2003. Back then, they were humbled by a GT Porsche 911, which won the Floridian sportscar classic by nine laps.
Entries open for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award story
Entries have opened for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award, with budding motorsport engineers invited to apply for the revamped prize.
The other Suzuki signing that could transform Honda's MotoGP form
Following Suzuki's decision to quit MotoGP, both of its former riders have landed at Honda for 2023. But perhaps its biggest signing from the now-defunct team could instead be a highly-rated technical manager. Is Ken Kawauchi the right man at the right time to steer HRC back to glory?
How the MotoGP paddock has offered refuge to Suzuki's former team
Suzuki's unexpected departure left more than 40 professionals virtually jobless for the 2023 MotoGP season. But that human drama has been successfully corrected by the paddock itself, with most former Suzuki crew-members absorbed into other operations
How one MotoGP team went from title fights to losing it all in four years
The Petronas Sepang Racing Team came into MotoGP with a bang in 2019 as regular front-runners, with wonder rookie Fabio Quartararo mounting a title challenge in 2020. But it all went wrong for the Razlan Razali-helmed squad as the team changed hands and tumbled down the order - and RNF Racing plans to right this in 2023
Is MotoGP's comeback king ready to reclaim his throne?
Marc Marquez’s sixth premier MotoGP title seems a long time ago given the injury woes he has faced in the three years since. At the end of a fraught 2022, in which he had a fourth major operation on his right arm, the Spaniard speaks exclusively to Autosport
How MotoGP’s underachiever is working to reverse its fortunes in 2023
As European manufacturers emerged as the strongest force in 2022 in a changing of the guard for MotoGP, one powerhouse couldn’t quite match the feats of Ducati and Aprilia. Its motorsport chief tells Autosport why this is and what it is doing to become a consistent frontrunner in the class of kings
How MotoGP riders are preparing for the physical stress of sprint races
With the expansion of the calendar to 21 grands prix and the introduction of sprint races, the 2023 MotoGP season will take the riders to almost 1,300 kilometres of competition more than this year, a factor that forces adjustments in their physical preparations.
The Ducati rider who is much more than just the brother of a MotoGP legend
Surname pressure is something many have had to deal with in their motorsport careers. And while Luca Marini doesn’t have that, his familial relation and the team he rides for in MotoGP have cast a brighter spotlight on his progress. But, as he has shown in 2022 – and as he reveals to Autosport – Marini is so much more than just the brother of a legend
Ranking the top 10 riders of MotoGP 2022
The 2022 MotoGP season was another hotly contested championship, with Francesco Bagnaia emerging as the title winner after the campaign went to the wire. Autosport picks out the 10 best performers of the season
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.