LCR Honda officially confirms Johann Zarco

LCR Honda has officially confirmed that Johann Zarco will join its MotoGP team, on a two-year deal.

22 Aug 2023

Zarco, who presently races for Pramac Ducati, had already announced his plans on Sunday evening in Austria.

The Frenchman said his choice was either to extend for a single year with Ducati, but perhaps switch to another team and then move to WorldSBK for 2025, or take up the new two-year MotoGP project with Honda - which Zarco said includes an option for 2026.

Upon welcoming Zarco, LCR Honda team principal Lucio Cecchinelli confirmed that the 33-year-old will be racing in Castrol colours, and therefore be a direct replacement for Alex Rins, who is leaving for Monster Yamaha:

“We are very excited to welcome Johann to the LCR Honda Castrol team with all the respective details and signatures now in place,” Cecchinello said.

“It is a return to the team after we had some brief time together in 2019, where we could already see his potential and work ethic.

“There are still a lot of races and work to be done this season, but we are looking forward to the start of this new project in 2024.”

At the Red Bull Ring, Zarco stated that he would sign 'with HRC and LCR' but didn't completely exclude the chance he might one day be moved to Repsol Honda, where Marc Marquez and Joan Mir are out of contract at the end of 2024.

"Yes, [the contract is with HRC] and with Cecchinello, because it's the seat of Cecchinello at the moment. Maybe I will be the first to be surprised if something changes, and this would be a good surprise for my career."

Takaaki Nakagami currently rides the LCR team’s other, Idemitsu-backed, machine.