MotoGP: Updates on Zarco after his big crash

Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Monday, May 18, 2026 at 1:27 pm

There is damage to the French rider, who is doing quite well (even very well) considering the violence of the crash he had on Sunday.

Johann Zarco, lying in his hospital bed in Barcelona wearing a neck brace – but mostly with a very reassuring smile – had the presence of mind to give a very thorough self-assessment of his own health status in a selfie video shared on Sunday evening. His team officially confirmed: “He suffered injuries to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, as well as the internal meniscus. He also sustained a slight tear in the peroneal at the ankle level. After being kept for one night for observation, he will travel to France on Monday to consult with specialists and evaluate the next steps in his recovery. We wish him a speedy recovery.”

Bagnaia: “His pain has impacted me greatly”

Could we see the winner of the 2025 French Grand Prix this season in a round of the world championship? One might be inclined to answer in the affirmative, as recovery times can sometimes be impressive in MotoGP, where this rare elite of slightly crazy riders doesn’t hesitate to get back in the saddle with injuries that are often impressive. It will be important to closely monitor how Johann Zarco approaches this recovery period. At 35 years old, he may not tempt fate as much as he might have a few seasons ago…

His spectacular accident on Sunday, during the Catalunya Grand Prix, followed that of Alex Marquez and the competitors found it very difficult to continue their race as if nothing had happened. Francesco Bagnaia especially expressed this after the race (comments relayed by Motorsport.com) and was particularly affected, as it was his motorcycle that fell on the leg of the French rider: “Watching the footage, he didn’t do anything wrong. Something strange happened with his bike. He started braking before, but it didn’t stop the bike, so something happened. I saw his leg and his pain has impacted me greatly.”