Injured in the ligaments of his left knee and victim of a fibula fracture following a violent accident at the Barcelona Grand Prix, Johann Zarco must undergo new medical examinations tomorrow, Tuesday, to determine the length of his absence from MotoGP. The driver from Cannes returned to France on Monday.
The Catalan Grand Prix was cut short for Johann Zarco. The LCR Honda team driver was victim of a heavy crash on Sunday in Barcelona, during the second start of the race. The accident occurred at the first turn, after the red flag caused by Álex Márquez’s crash.
Poorly positioned at the restart, Johann Zarco lost control of his motorcycle in the slipstream of the peloton. The Frenchman fell on the bikes of Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia. The left leg of the tricolor driver remained trapped above the wheel of Bagnaia’s Ducati in the gravel.
Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia quickly assisted the French driver before the arrival of the medical team. Remaining conscious after the impact, Johann Zarco was first transported to the circuit medical center before being transferred to Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, in Sant Cugat, for further examinations.
Examinations scheduled in Lyon
The Honda-LCR team detailed the injuries of the French driver in a statement published Sunday evening: “following a crash that occurred during the second start of Sunday’s Grand Prix on the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, French driver Johann Zarco, who was transported to Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, suffered injuries to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, as well as to the medial meniscus. »
The statement also specifies: “he also suffered a slight fracture of the fibula at the ankle level.”
The team added: “Zarco will remain under observation overnight and will travel to France on Monday to consult specialists and assess the next steps in his recovery.”
At 35 years old, Johann Zarco must now undergo new examinations on Tuesday in Lyon with a knee specialist. The consultation should allow for assessing the need for cruciate ligament surgery. A possible surgical intervention could have consequences for the rest of the French driver’s season. In case of surgery, the driver from Cannes could see his return to competition in several months. In any case, it seems very unlikely to see Johann Zarco riding his Honda LCR at Mugello or in Hungary at the beginning of June.
The driver’s manager, Guillaume Valladeau, was reassuring after the night spent in the hospital: “Johann is in good spirits, he is positive and there are no particular complications.”
