Johann Zarco suffered a double accident during the Catalan Grand Prix last May, from which he is still recovering, both physically and psychologically. His knee injury was so serious that it threatened to jeopardise his racing career.
During the Barcelona race, Pedro Acosta’s KTM stopped on lap 11 while the Spaniard was leading the field. Unfortunately, Gresini rider Alex Marquez couldn’t avoid Acosta and crashed into the KTM, sending his Ducati flying through the air and scattering debris across the track. One of those pieces struck Johann Zarco’s foot as he rode behind them.
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After the race was stopped by a red flag, the Frenchman returned to his team’s garage, where his bike was hastily treated while he tried to establish whether the intense pain in his foot was simply the result of the impact or a sign of a more serious injury.
The veteran eventually climbed back onto his bike, determined to take the restart. What happened next, at the first corner after the lights went out, was horrific. Luca Marini, Francesco Bagnaia and Zarco ended up in the run-off area, with Zarco’s leg caught in the rear wheel of Bagnaia’s Ducati and bent at an extremely unnatural angle.
The LCR rider was taken to hospital, but doctors were reluctant to operate because of the severe swelling around his knee. The initial examinations also failed to provide a sufficiently clear picture of the extensive damage to his ligaments and tendons.
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Zarco travelled to Lyon to seek treatment from renowned knee specialist Dr Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet.
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati and Johann Zarco, LCR Honda
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati and Johann Zarco, LCR Honda
Initially, the plan was to wait for the swelling to subside before operating. However, a deep burn on his knee sustained in the crash meant surgery was subsequently considered too risky because of the danger of infection.
Through determination, hard work and persistence, Zarco eventually managed to make a partial recovery without undergoing surgery. He returned to action at the Aragon Grand Prix in late August, having missed six rounds.
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Since then, his best result has come in Qatar, where he scored 12 points – his biggest points haul of the season.
Breaking the mental barrier
Between the Barcelona restart crash in May and the Qatar GP, Zarco had contested six grands prix and seven sprints without experiencing a similar situation involving a red flag and a restart.
In Lusail, Zarco had qualified seventh and made a strong start, placing him in the second group of riders when Bagnaia suffered a heavy crash. The red flag was brought out and all the riders returned to the pits for a restart. It was a situation that brought memories of Barcelona flooding back to Zarco.
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This time, however, the LCR rider made a flying start at the second attempt, gaining two positions while battling with Acosta and Raul Fernandez before eventually crossing the line in fifth place – his best result of the season.
Johann Zarco, Team LCR Honda
Johann Zarco, Team LCR Honda
“I was very happy to have regained my concentration after the red flag,” Zarco explained on Saturday after the sprint in Lusail.
“Honestly, when the race was stopped, what happened in Catalunya came back into my mind.
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“But it was a different situation, because this time I was not involved in the accident. That’s why I was able to maintain my concentration.
“At the second start in Barcelona, the pain in my foot was so intense that, as it subsided, I think my adrenaline level also dropped.
“In Qatar, on the other hand, I was there, ready to compete again, prepared and focused.”
The experience helped him put any lingering doubts and fears to rest.
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“It was very positive to achieve an excellent second start like the one we made. It was the best way to overcome it,” he said. “What happened in Catalunya is now in the past, but Qatar served to definitively leave that memory behind.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
