Zarco set for MotoGP return at Aragon pending medical clearance

Johann Zarco, of LCR Honda, is set to return to MotoGP at the Aragon Grand Prix on August 28-30, subject to passing a medical assessment at the circuit, the team said on Thursday.

The Frenchman has been sidelined since suffering knee ligament damage in a multi-rider crash at the Catalan Grand Prix in May and had originally been expected to return in September.

“Zarco’s recovery has continued to improve in recent weeks, allowing him to bring forward his return to racing,” LCR said in a statement.

Zarco was injured during a restart at the Catalan race when he collided with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and Honda’s Luca Marini in a three-rider pile-up.

He tumbled through the gravel with his leg trapped under Bagnaia’s bike and was later taken to hospital.

Zarco has missed six rounds since then in Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Germany and Britain.