Johann Zarco targets MotoGP comeback in September
Johann Zarco’s recovery from Catalunya MotoGP injuries has taken a more positive turn, with Castrol Honda LCR confirming the Frenchman will not undergo knee surgery at this stage and is now targeting a return to the race track in September.
Zarco met knee specialist Dr Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon on Wednesday, July 1 for a fresh assessment of the injuries sustained in his heavy Catalunya crash. The original MRI scans were obtained when the knee was still heavily swollen, making it difficult to determine the full extent of the damage at that time.
Further examinations, now that the swelling has subsided, have painted a more encouraging picture than previously feared. The medial collateral ligament is healing well, while the posterior cruciate ligament, which was initially thought to be ruptured, is also showing good signs of healing. The anterior cruciate ligament remains torn.
This still causes serious injury to Zarco’s knee, but the overall condition of the joint is now considered encouraging enough for doctors and the rider to pursue a non-surgical recovery path. In recent weeks, Zarco was waiting for the burn injury to heal before a possible operation, but he continued training during that period and made enough progress in rehabilitation and strengthening to become the preferred route.
The team said doctors have been impressed with Zarco’s progress, with the 35-year-old now set to continue a dedicated rehabilitation programme. The goal is to get him back on track in September, subject to further medical evaluation.
Zarco has been sidelined since the Catalunya Grand Prix in May, when he was involved in a horrific crash after the race restart, getting entangled in the gravel with the Ducati of Francesco Bagnaia, an incident which also involved Luca Marini. Initial investigations were able to rule out at least a major fracture, although Zarco later revealed knee ligament damage as well as a small fracture on the fibula near the ankle.
The injury came at a particularly disappointing time for Zarco and Honda. Since joining LCR Honda in 2024, Zarco has become one of HRC’s most important reference points in MotoGP, and that value was underlined by his direct Honda HRC factory rider contract extension until the end of 2027.
Zarco’s 2025 season also produced some of Honda’s greatest MotoGP moments, including his emotional French Grand Prix win at Le Mans and second-place finish at Silverstone. That Le Mans victory was not only a huge result for LCR and Honda, but also a historic moment for French motorcycle racing.
Meanwhile, Cal Crutchlow has been recalled as a familiar stand-in for the Castrol Honda LCR team, but the latest medical update at least gives the team a clear target for Zarco’s return.
If the September target remains intact, the obvious starting window is the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano on 11-13 September, followed by the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on 18-20 September. Any return will depend on further medical tests and the knee’s response to the next phase of rehabilitation.
However, for now, the latest news is an important step in the right direction for Zarco, LCR and Honda.
