Johann Zarco recounts gruesome MotoGP crash: ‘I’m mad at myself for restarting’

LCR MotoGP rider Johann Zarco says he was “screaming in pain” in his scary crash at the Catalan Grand Prix, as he admits he is “mad at myself for taking second start”.

Last Sunday’s Barcelona round of the 2026 season was marred by two major incidents, with the race initially stopped for a collision between Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta.

Gresini’s Marquez was taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery on Sunday night, but has now left hospital and returned home.

When the race was restarted, Johann Zarco crashed with Luca Marini and Pecco Bagnaia at Turn 1, and got his leg stuck in the latter’s Ducati as it bounced through the gravel trap.

Zarco was also taken to hospital, but has now returned home to begin recovery having escaped serious injury.

The race was restarted again, with VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio winning.

“I wasn’t in the zone anymore when we lined up on the grid again”

Zarco provided a brief update on his situation from hospital on Sunday night, noting that he had suffered “more scare than harm”.

In a new interview with France’s L’Equipe, Zarco regrets taking the restart at Barcelona, having been “brought down” by bruising to his foot from the Marquez/Acosta crash and the images from the scene.

“My foot was already purple,” he told L’Equipe’s Michel Turco.

“We put ice on the bruise, and the pain subsided a bit.

“That’s when I should have made the decision to pull out of the rest of the race.

“Between the images of Alex’s crash and that blow to my foot, it really brought me down.

“I wasn’t in the zone anymore when we lined up on the grid again.”

He added: “I’m mad at myself for taking that second start.”

Talking about the crash itself, Zarco gave a chilling recount of being stuck in the gravel.

“I got sucked in by Marini and couldn't stop in time to avoid him,” he said.

“I went tumbling with his bike, and my left leg got pinned between the wheel, the seat, and the exhaust.”

“I’m stuck in the gravel trap, screaming in pain, my leg is starting to burn, and everyone rushing over to me is afraid to touch me for fear of making my injuries worse.

“So I pulled on my leg, and they finally helped me.

“They immobilised me, cut open my suit, and gave me an IV to stop the pain... I’d never been through anything like that, and it was downright terrifying.”