Johann Zarco says the marshals ‘didn’t want to touch me’ after ‘massive’ Catalan Grand Prix crash 

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Johann Zarco has revealed that the trackside marshals ‘didn’t want to touch me’ after his huge crash during the Catalan Grand Prix.

Back in May, during the Catalan Grand Prix around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Zarco was involved in a massive accident.

The Frenchman’s crash came shortly after the race was restarted on the back of a red flag following Alex Marquez’s horrifying incident.

Zarco collided with Luca Marini before going straight into Francesco Bagnaia’s bike, leaving his left leg lodged between the swingarm and the seat unit.

Johann Zarco recalls immediate aftermath of ‘massive’ Catalan Grand Prix accident

Since then, the 35-year-old has been recovering from the injury and has missed races in Italy, Hungary, Czechia, the Netherlands and Germany.

Speaking recently to French media outlet Canal+, Zarco recalled the immediate aftermath of the accident.

He stated that he lost control of his bike before letting go and headed straight into Bagnaia.

At this point, Zarco recalled his leg flying out, but he was unable to process the situation as it was a ‘massive crash’.

The LCR Honda rider then stated that although the trackside marshals were quick to arrive at the scene, they didn’t ‘want’ to touch him due to fear of aggravating the injury to his leg, which was ‘twisted’.

Zarco explained: “I’m heading into Marini and then, as I go into Marini, yeah, I completely lose control, and I’m not even trying to hold onto my bike – I just let go.

“I think I’m diving forwards onto Pecco, and that’s when, actually, as I dive onto Pecco, my leg flies out onto the track, and it hurts. But there’s no time yet to realise it hurts; it’s just a massive crash, you know, and I’m not even processing it.

“I try to get up a bit – it’s difficult – the marshals are there and it all happens so fast around me; they don’t want to touch me because, well, there I am with my leg all twisted.

“And they’re thinking, ‘If I touch him, I’ll just break it even more’, but actually I’m burning up in my leathers, spinning round, and I’m stuck on the exhaust pipe whilst I’m still in the gravel. I wasn’t even thinking about the race; I was just thinking, ‘I hope I can walk.’ That was me; that was my fear.”

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Following Zarco’s injury, Cal Crutchlow was drafted in by LCR as a replacement for the French rider.

Looking ahead, although there are doubts over Zarco’s future in MotoGP due to the significant accident, it has been reported that he does have a contract for 2027.

In addition, it has been suggested that Zarco has no intention of stepping away from MotoGP.

When he does return to MotoGP action, Zarco is set to be handed a punishment, which will be a double long lap penalty for the next Grand Prix that he takes part in.

Speaking at this weekend’s German Grand Prix, LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello said that Zarco is recovering faster than expected and is aiming to return to the sport in September.

Cecchinello said to Sky Sports Italy: “[Zarco] is recovering faster than they might have thought; after all, they weren’t completely broken.

“Because, in fact, the first examination – the very first one – was carried out whilst there was severe inflammation, so it wasn’t possible to get a clear picture of the whole situation. Today we can say that he still won’t be having an operation and that the aim, the one set for September.”