LCR Honda MotoGP racer Johann Zarco will most likely not require surgery to repair the damage to his left knee sustained at the Catalan Grand Prix in May.
That should considerably speed up his return to action after what has already been an extended period away following the injuries he suffered at Barcelona.
Zarco was the instigator of a Turn 1 pile-up on the second start of the race (following an earlier red-flagged incident between Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta) and was left the worst off of the multiple fallers when his left leg became wedged under the seat of Pecco Bagnaia's factory Ducati as they tumbled through the gravel trap.
He sustained injuries to his knee as well as extensive burns in the fall, and has been awaiting the results of follow-up checks since to determine whether or not he would require surgery to repair both a torn posterior cruciate ligament and anterior cruciate ligament.
However, now that the swelling in his leg has decreased sufficiently and the burns have healed enough to begin the next stage of his rehabilitation, it has been determined that his posterior cruciate ligament wasn't in fact torn in the crash, and will not require reconstructive surgery that would likely have derailed the remainder of the 2026 season for him.
"After the crash in Catalunya, the initial MRI scans were performed while the knee was still heavily inflamed, making it difficult to accurately assess the full extent of the injury," the LCR team explained in a statement issued on Friday.
"As the inflammation subsided, further examinations provided a clearer picture and a more positive outlook than initially expected, with the injuries first suspected no longer confirmed.
"The medial collateral ligament is healing well, while the posterior cruciate ligament, initially believed to be torn, is also showing encouraging signs of recovery. The anterior cruciate ligament, remains torn.
"Over the past few weeks, the French rider had been waiting for a burn injury to heal before undergoing surgery. In the meantime, he continued training and made steady progress, making a non-surgical approach a viable option."
Now focusing on rehabilitation and physical therapy rather than surgery, it means that Zarco is targeting a return to MotoGP action in September, likely at the Misano-Red Bull Ring double-header before the championship heads overseas for a block of five flyaway races.
His replacement in the meantime remains unconfirmed beyond next weekend's German Grand Prix, where Cal Crutchlow will once again step in, but it's unlikely that the team will draft in anyone else ahead of the MotoGP summer break and the next round at Silverstone - the British rider's home race.
from The Race https://ift.tt/LuaJlze
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