LCR Honda still searching for Johann Zarco MotoGP replacement for "upcoming races"
LCR Honda has confirmed that it still hasn’t confirmed a replacement for Johann Zarco at the Italian MotoGP.
LCR Honda is still searching for a replacement for the injured Johann Zarco for the Italian MotoGP this weekend (29–31 May).
Zarco is out for the Italian Grand Prix after suffering knee ligament injuries in a turn one crash at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 17 May, as well as an injury to his lower fibula. He was taken to hospital afterwards, and left on 18 May.
The two-week gap between the Catalan and Italian MotoGP rounds means the LCR Honda team is obliged to replace the Frenchman, although its latest statement confirms that it is yet to fill the seat on the Castrol-backed side of its team ahead of its home round.
“While Johann Zarco is awaiting surgery, the Castrol Honda LCR team is still working on finding his replacement for the upcoming races,” the statement, published via social media on 25 May, reads.
“More information will be shared soon, once everything is finalized and secured.
“Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”
HRC test rider Takaaki Nakagami appears the obvious choice to replace Zarco, especially given his extensive experience with the LCR team, albeit on the side of the box occupied this year by Diogo Moreira.
Nakagami raced for the LCR team between 2019 and 2024, taking a best result of fourth on three occasions, as well as a pole position at the second Aragon round in 2020.
Mugello was never the strongest track for Nakagami during his full-time racing career, but he was fifth there in his second premier class Italian Grand Prix in 2019.
The Japanese rider has generally been focusing on developing Honda’s 850cc MotoGP for 2027 this year, although he was drafted back into the 1,000cc project after Aleix Espargaro was injured and hospitalised after a crash while testing at Sepang in April.
Nakagami last raced in MotoGP at Japan last year as a wildcard, although he retired from the race. He also replaced Luca Marini at Mugello last year after the Italian’s Suzuka 8 Hours testing crash.
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Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
