High-profile help: Johann Zarco trains with Dakar star

The MotoGP World Championship continues on 28 August at MotorLand Aragon in Spain. Behind the scenes, veteran rider Johann Zarco is fighting hard to make his comeback. The 36-year-old Frenchman from Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR Honda team suffered a serious injury to his left knee in a collision in Barcelona after getting caught behind Francesco Bagnaia’s factory Ducati.

Zarco was back on the Supermoto bike again this weekend. As on previous occasions, the venue was the ‘Circuit Andorra Pas de la Casa’ in his adopted home of Andorra. Earlier in the week, Zarco had got back on a motorbike for the first time following his long injury lay-off and had shown great enthusiasm.

The two-time Moto2 world champion had a very special sparring partner by his side during his private training session this time: his compatriot Adrien van Beveren. The two are linked not only by their nationality, but also by their employer, Honda. The 35-year-old rally professional finished third for the HRC works team at the 2024 and 2025 Dakar Rallies. Zarco brought a second Supermoto Honda to the track especially for van Beveren.

The tall enduro and rally professional also showed promise on tarmac. Zarco has also recently been regularly out on road bikes with the ‘Desert Hero’.

Zarco is currently planning to return to the paddock himself for the MotoGP event in Misano Adriatico in September. Given his progress, this plan seems realistic. At Aragon, the former artistic gymnast will once again be represented by British veteran Cal Crutchlow.

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28.08.2026 - 08:55