Marco Bezzecchi
Johann Zarco’s future as a full-time MotoGP rider is in doubt after his injury at the Catalan GP, according to a report.
Zarco damaged knee ligaments and his meniscus when he tangled with Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia on the first restart in Barcelona. He also suffered a fibula tear near his ankle.
The Frenchman has missed the last two races, with Cal Crutchlow making a surprise comeback as his replacement, and LCR have now confirmed that he will remain absent for Brno and Assen too.
Johann Zarco could be invited to take on test rider role at Honda
The doctors who examined Zarco after his crash advised him to wait at least two weeks before undergoing surgery. A month later, there haven’t been any further updates.
Inevitably, this has prompted chatter in the paddock. According to MOW, there’s a rumour that Honda could reallocate Zarco’s LCR seat for 2027.
Who should fill the 2027 satellite seats?
This is what it's looking like, based on the rumours
The two-time Grand Prix winner is under contract for next year, but Honda may suggest that a test rider role is more appropriate given his condition and age. He could assist with bike development without exposing himself to as much risk.
Honda are expected to field a brand-new factory line-up next season with Fabio Quartararo joining from Yamaha and either Diogo Moreira or David Alonso landing the second seat. The original plan was for Zarco to partner one of the youngsters at LCR.
Reports suggest Luca Marini is joining Trackhouse, so he won’t be available if Honda need a full-time Zarco replacement. Marini’s teammate Joan Mir is moving to Gresini, while Crutchlow, Aleix Espargaro and Takaaki Nakagami all consider themselves semi-retired.
Lucio Cecchinello has a ‘very close’ relationship with Zarco so he will give him time before making a decision. But it’s ‘most likely’ that another rider will take over for 2027.
It’s unclear where the rider himself stands on returning after a serious accident, though one imagines his preference would be to continue.
A veteran of 172 Grands Prix, Zarco has scored 34 points so far this year. He bagged a top-five finish in the Catalan GP Sprint just 24 hours before his injury.
The 2016 Moto2 champion has been racing in the premier class since 2017. He lost his KTM seat with three races remaining in 2019, but LCR immediately picked him up.
After four seasons riding a Ducati, he returned to LCR at the start of 2024.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
