The rider Johann Zarco, from the LCR Honda team, will have to face a double long-term penalty when he returns to MotoGP competition, following his serious fall during the Catalonia Grand Prix in May.
This sanction was announced ahead of the German Grand Prix, which will mark the fifth consecutive race that Zarco misses since the incident in Barcelona.
Zarco, who hopes to return to competition in September, is currently inactive due to knee injuries sustained during the accident. The fall occurred immediately after the race was restarted, which had been halted due to a spectacular impact between riders Pedro Acosta and Alex Márquez.
Although the decision of the race directors aligns with regulations, it has received criticism for how events were handled following the initial accident, as well as Zarco’s subsequent incident, which also affected other riders like Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia.
After being hit by debris from the Acosta and Márquez accident, Zarco admitted that he was not in a condition to resume the race. Several experts have questioned whether riders, in a state of excitement due to adrenaline, should have the final say on restart matters.
The official communication regarding the penalty highlights that on May 17, 2026, at 14:53:20, Zarco caused an accident involving other riders, contravening the given instructions. This incident was deemed a violation of the safety rules governing the championship.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_299b9dcbc8a63ffb421939524ec57347e35bde16