Johann Zarco to attempt MotoGP comeback at Aragon with Cal Crutchlow on standby

Johann Zarco is set to make his first MotoGP appearance since May, however, LCR Honda has confirmed that Cal Crutchlow will be on standby should the French rider be unable to complete the Aragon GP next weekend.

Zarco has been out of action since being involved in a first corner collision with Francesco Bagnaia and Luca Marini at the Catalan Grand Prix.

As a result of the crash, Zarco suffered serious knee ligament injuries which led to LCR looking for a replacement.

Said replacement came in the form of Crutchlow, who rode for the team from 2015 until he decided to retire from full-time racing at the end of 2020.

Crutchlow has replaced Zarco at each of the last six rounds, and narrowly missed out on scoring points in both Hungary and the Netherlands. 

Zarco’s return was not expected until the team’s home round at Misano in mid-September, however, a statement from LCR confirmed the rider’s hopes of competing at Aragon. 

This follows on from Zarco’s unusual decision to not undergo surgery, which tends to result in making a slower return to competition. The statement from LCR Honda said: 

“The rider and his medical team opted for a non-surgical approach, with September initially set as his target for a return to competition.

“However, Zarco’s recovery has continued to improve in recent weeks, allowing him to bring forward his return to racing. He has gradually increased his workload, riding both a supermoto and a Honda CBR1000RR as part of his rehabilitation. Having made steady progress and received clearance from his medical team to resume racing, Zarco will travel to Aragon with the aim of returning to competition, subject to passing the mandatory medical assessment at the circuit.”

Ahead of next weekend’s Aragon Grand Prix, Zarco will need to pass a pre-event medical check before determining if he can complete the full weekend.

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