LCR issues fresh Johann Zarco update, lengthy MotoGP absence expected
LCR Honda has issued a fresh update on Johann Zarco following his Catalunya MotoGP crash
The LCR Honda MotoGP team says Johann Zarco is set to have knee surgery in the coming weeks following his scary crash at the 2026 Catalan Grand Prix.
The French rider was involved in a tangle with Pecco Bagnaia and Luca Marini at the first corner of the restarted Catalan Grand Prix.
He got his leg tangled with Bagnaia’s Ducati, and was subsequently taken to hospital for evaluation before returning home to France on Monday evening.
In a new update, Johann Zarco has visited a knee specialist in Lyon, but will have to wait several weeks before undergoing surgery to allow his injuries to heal.
After he undergoes surgery, a timeline will be outlined for his return.
“On Tuesday, 19th May, Johann Zarco visited Doctor Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon, a world-renowned consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Centre Orthopedique Santyin Lyon, France, specialising in the management of knee ligament injuries and sports trauma, to further assess his physical condition,” the team said.
“Following a thorough examination, it is estimated that he will need to wait a couple of weeks before undergoing surgery for the damage to his ligaments, allowing the initial trauma and other injuries to his knee some time to heal before the procedure.
“Following the surgery, a detailed recovery plan will be established, allowing the medical team to evaluate a possible timeline for his return.
“The whole Castrol Honda LCR team is in close contact with Johann Zarco and will continue to provide updates as the date gets closer.”
Zarco will be absent from the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Mugello at the end of the month.
This is paired with the Hungarian Grand Prix the following week, with three more races scheduled between then and the summer break in mid-July.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Zarco admitted he regretted taking the restart following the first red flag for the Alex Marquez/Pedro Acosta incident.
Marquez has undergone surgery on several fractures and has now returned home to continue his recovery.
Gresini has not issued a timeline for when Marquez can be expected to return to racing.
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