You have to take risks – Zarco
Zarco denies all responsibility for Austrian MotoGP crash
SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD, Austria: MotoGP rider Johann Zarco insisted Thursday that “you can’t do this sport if you don’t want to take risks” after being widely condemned for his role in a terrifying 300kmh nearmiss at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Frenchman collided with Italy’s Franco Morbidelli at the Red Bull Ring last Sunday.
Both men came off, leaving their bikes to cartwheel at speeds of up to 300 km/h back across the track.
Morbidelli’s machine flew just centimetres past the head of Valentino Rossi leaving the Italian nine-time world champion badly shaken and claiming the stray Yamaha “almost killed” him.
Morbidelli, who rides for the Yamaha satellite team, went further.
“Zarco is almost a murderer,” he said.
Zarco was sanctioned for “irresponsible riding” and will start his next race from the pitlane as punishment.
“After evaluation it was determined that there was evidence of irresponsible riding from Johann Zarco, which has resulted in a penalty. The Frenchman will start his next MotoGP race from pitlane,” the International Motorcycling Federation said in a statement.
“There should be no sanctions because I did not do anything crazy,” Zarco said after the hearing.
The 30-year-old won’t take part in Friday’s opening practice for this weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix at the same circuit after undergoing surgery on his injured right wrist in midweek.
His fitness for Saturday qualifying and for Sunday’s race will be assessed on Friday.
Despite his lack of action – and a meeting with the race stewards – Zarco remained defiant Thursday.
“For me it was clear, you have to know that you
If somebody thinks I’m dangerous, it’s not possible to be dangerous on these bikes, you can’t do this sport if you don’t want to take risks. Johann Zarco
never try to push someone off the track and I think that on the track nothing will change,” the Ducati rider said, insisting the stewards could not force him to change his approach.
“If they want to punish me, they can’t do anything either. You can’t think like that on a motorcycle.
“If somebody thinks I’m dangerous, it’s not possible to be dangerous on these bikes, you can’t do this sport if you don’t want to take risks.”
Last weekend’s controversy over-shadowed the second successive win at the Austrian GP by Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.
Ducati have won all the races at Spielberg since MotoGP returned to Austria in 2016.
Victory came just a day after it was announced the veteran Dovizioso would leave the team at the end of the season.
World championship leader Fabio Quartararo was down in eighth place last Sunday and his lead in the title race is just 11 points over the Italian.