Johann Zarco Skips Surgery Aims for September MotoGP Return

LCR Honda MotoGP rider Johann Zarco will not require surgery for the severe knee injuries he sustained in a crash in May and is now targeting a return to competition in September. The team confirmed the positive medical update on Friday, July 3, 2026, following a recent assessment by a specialist.

Zarco, 35, was injured in a multi-rider incident on the second restart of the Catalan Grand Prix on May 17. His left leg became trapped in the rear wheel of Francesco Bagnaia's Ducati as the bikes tumbled through the gravel trap at Turn 1. The initial diagnosis indicated significant ligament damage, including tears to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, as well as a medial meniscus injury and a small ankle fracture. Extensive burns on his skin also complicated his treatment.

The team stated that follow-up examinations, conducted after swelling from the initial trauma subsided, revealed a more optimistic prognosis than first feared. While the anterior cruciate ligament remains torn, the posterior cruciate ligament, initially believed to be torn, is showing encouraging signs of recovery. The medial collateral ligament is healing well. Because the burns have now healed...