After the heavy crash and impact during the Austrian Grand Prix race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on Sunday, Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) had a medical check-up on Monday morning as pain persisted in his right wrist. After knowing the results, Zarco will travel to Italy and will undergo surgery on Wednesday after a small fracture on the scaphoid of his right hand.
The Frenchman will then return to the circuit on Thursday. However, the recovery period, the check-up at the medical centre and the rider's own feelings will determine his availability for this weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix. Whilst at the Red Bull Ring on Thursday, the former Moto2™ World Champion confirmed he will have "a meeting about the big incident on Sunday".
Johann Zarco: "On Monday I did some tests on my right wrist because it was still in some pain, and I got a little fracture on the scaphoid. I will go to Italy to do the operation on Wednesday morning, with a doctor that has a very good relationship with Ducati. This is the doctor that has operated many times on their riders. Then we will come back to Austria, and I will be on Thursday at the track to have a meeting about the big incident that happened on Sunday.
"If the feeling is OK on the wrist and the medical centre declares me fit to ride I will try and see if I can ride the bike. The advantage this weekend is we already have all the references from the week before, so this is not a big drama if I miss few sessions and I can take one more day to feel if my wrist is OK. Now, the main thing is the operation, and after that see if my feeling improves. The team is working on the bike to prepare it, and I know everything will be ready if I come back on the bike. Maybe there will be some rain, so also this is a chance because in the rain we have less effort on the bike and for me will be really a good chance with the rain if I can race without much effort on the wrist."