The Pramac Ducati rider was fighting it out for the podium with Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Brad Binder for much of the race, be🉐fore victory looked like a distinct possibility with three laps to go.

The chasing quartet were over three🎀 seconds behind Jorge Martin for much of the race, but as the Spaniard’s s💎oft tyre gamble started to look like the wrong decision, Zarco knew his chance would come.

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After forcing his way through on Binder for s🦩econd, Zarco quickly closed in on Martin before making the overtake at turn four on the final lap. 

Speaking afte💮r the announcement that Sunday’s sprint race would be cancelled, Zarco said: “I’m pretty happy because I was quick since Friday morning but then I was also struggling. 

“I cannot say it was a weekend where I was expecting to win after s⛦eeing the speed from Jorge Martin. 

“Even in the race, the way he was going away I was thinking I could fight for the podium. To get this opportunity in the last few laps and to thi𝕴nk about this victory is an amazing feeling. 

“After it there were these memories and sometimes I was thinking that I could neve🐲r win. But on Saturday it all came together and it’s possible. It was a really big feeling of release in the body.”

While Zarco has always had the talent to win in MotoGP, achieving that result looked less likely as the season went on after the Fr꧂enchman suffered a difficult last few rounds.

But with the weight♐ of winning a race now off his shoulder, Zarco is hoping to carry his momentum i⛎nto next week’s ThaiGP.

Zarco added: “It’s going to be interesting to see the feeling I have with the bike in Thailand. With🌟 the experience [I have] I know that I can p🐓erform and be competitive as I’m doing. 

“But this extra push that you can have is something real⭕ly special. I hope to have🧔 it in Thailand. 

“It was great to do a warm-up straight away t𒊎he day after the victory because it helps y🌠ou come back to ground."