LCR Honda team announced on Wednesday, July 3, that French rider Johann Zarco will not undergo surgery for his left knee injury sustained in a crash in Barcelona. The team stated that progress in Zarco's rehabilitation made non-surgical treatment possible and that the rider plans to return to the track in September.
Assessment and condition of connective tissues in Lyon.
On July 1st, Zarco visited Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon to assess the current state of his knee. According to the team's statement, initial MRI scans after the accident did not provide an accurate picture due to swelling in the knee area; examinations performed after the swelling subsided offered a more positive prognosis than initially anticipated. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is successfully healing, while the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), initially thought to be torn, is also showing promising signs. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), however, remains torn.
The team emphasized that in recent weeks they had been waiting for Zarco to heal an injury that prevented surgery, that he had continued his training without interruption during this process, and that the consistent progress made non-surgical treatment a viable option. The statement read: “The doctors were impressed by Johann’s progress, and in line with the medical team’s recommendations, the driver will not undergo surgery; he will continue with a rehabilitation program focused on healing and strengthening. Following further medical assessments, Zarco is expected to return to the track in September.”
How did the accident in Barcelona happen?
The Catalunya GP, held on May 17th, made history with two red flags and three different starts. The race, which restarted from scratch after the first stop flag, ended with a second crash involving Zarco, following a collision between Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia at the first corner. The French rider's left leg became trapped in the rear wheel of Bagnaia's Ducati, resulting in the tearing of multiple ligaments in his knee.
The team's initial medical report, released on May 18, stated that Zarco had sustained "injuries to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and the medial meniscus, as well as a minor fibula fracture in the ankle region"; the fibula fracture has since healed. After the accident, Zarco traveled to Lyon, and following Dr. Sonnery-Cottet's decision to wait several weeks before surgically treating the ligament damage, Zarco announced on June 1st on his social media account that the open wound on his knee made surgery risky.
Crutchlow is in charge at Sachsenring.
While a definitive date for Zarco's return has not yet been set, LCR Honda has confirmed that British rider Cal Crutchlow will replace Zarco at next week's German GP, the final race before the summer break. Crutchlow filled in for Zarco during the Italian, Hungarian, Czech Republic, and Dutch Grand Prix races while Zarco was out with injury; after the Sachsenring race, he will most likely remain with the team until Zarco returns to the track.