Pramac Racing has confirmed the departure of Johann Zarco at the end of the 2023 MotoGP amid news of him joining LCR.
After three seasons together, Johann Zarco and Prima Pramac Racing will part ways at the end of 2023. From 2021 until now, the French rider has achieved a total of 12 podium finishes with the team: four in 2021, four in 2022, and another four in the current season.
Zarco and the Pramac Team, in collaboration with Ducati Corse, will continue to strive for the best results in all the remaining races of the 2023 Championship, starting from the Catalan Grand Prix scheduled in 10 days.
Paolo Campinoti (Prima Pramac Team Principal): “Over the course of three fantastic years alongside Johann, the team has taken a significant step forward, thanks in no small part to his immense talent. This progress has brought him to the position of being the current leader of the MotoGP championship. For this reason, I can only express my regret that he won’t be part of our family in the upcoming season, but I wish him all the luck in the world for his future endeavours. Now, all that’s left for me to do is enjoy working with him until the end of the championship, expecting great things from him once again.”
Gino Borsoi (Prima Pramac Team Manager): “It has been an honour and a pleasure to work with a rider and an individual like Johann, and the only regret I have is that the work started this year won’t continue into the next season. There are still many races between now and the end of November, and this decision doesn’t change the goal we set at the beginning of the year. I wish him the best of luck for his future.”
Johann Zarco: “I’ve spent four years with Ducati, three of them with the Pramac team, and I am very content with what we have built and achieved together. In 2021, I finished the championship in fifth place, marking my best-ever MotoGP result, but my goal is to do even better this year. At the end of this season, I will leave with a smile because the team and Ducati have given me so much, and together we have fought for truly significant accomplishments.
“Next year, I will face a new challenge, but for now, I want to conclude this championship with my team in the best way possible. I thank my entire team, Ducati, and all the people who have worked alongside me during these years we spent together. The ultimate goal remains to stand atop the podium and proudly sing the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, together with Paolo Campinoti, whom I sincerely thank for all the support he has given me since day one.”
[Note: The story is as per press release]