Johann Zarco has been handed a double long lap penalty for the multi-rider crash at Turn 1 during the restarted Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, adding another setback as the Frenchman continues his recovery from injury.
The Castrol Honda LCR rider has been sidelined since suffering a serious left knee injury in the incident, which involved fellow Honda rider Luca Marini and Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia. Following an investigation, MotoGP stewards ruled Zarco was responsible for the collision after misjudging his braking into the opening corner.
As the incident was deemed a first offence, Zarco received a double long lap penalty. The sanction will be served at the first Grand Prix he competes in after returning to action, with September currently targeted as his comeback.
The Barcelona race was one of the most chaotic events of the season. After an earlier red flag triggered by a separate multi-rider accident, the restarted race was halted almost immediately when Zarco collided with Marini before also collecting Bagnaia at Turn 1. The impact left Zarco with significant knee damage and forced him to miss several rounds while undergoing rehabilitation.
There was encouraging news for the 35-year-old earlier this month after medical assessments determined he would not require surgery. Zarco has continued to make progress in his recovery and remains on course to return after the summer break, although he will now begin his comeback carrying the penalty from the Barcelona incident
