LCR Honda team owner Lucio Cecchinello told The Race that there is both "hope and plan" for Johann Zarco to race again before the MotoGP season ends in November. The French rider suffered a complex knee injury – torn anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, medial meniscus damage and skin burns – after his leg was trapped between the wheel and seat unit of Pecco Bagnaia's Ducati at the Catalan Grand Prix in May. Surgery has been delayed because of infection risk, but Zarco has already resumed light training.
Cecchinello compared recovery timelines across sports, noting that similar knee surgery can take six to nine months for football or ski athletes, but typically three to four months for MotoGP riders because the mechanical load on the leg is limited and rotational stress is rare. He believes that, once the operation is performed, Zarco could be ready to compete again within that shorter window.
Mentally, Zarco is focusing on the positives, using the forced downtime to improve cardio, reaction speed, balance and visual perception while his leg remains immobilised. In his absence, veteran Cal Crutchlow returned from retirement to fill the seat for the final three rounds, and Zarco remains under contract through 2027 as the team prepares for next‑year's 850 cc regulations.
