Johann Zarco Bio
Johann Sylvain Pierre Zarco, born on 16 July 1990 in Cannes, France, is a professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer widely regarded as one of the most successful French riders in the history of the sport. He is best known for winning back-to-back Moto2 World Championships in 2015 and 2016, with his 2015 campaign producing a record points total for the intermediate class. Across 125cc, Moto2, and MotoGP, Zarco has accumulated 18 Grand Prix victories, multiple poles, and dozens of podiums.
After climbing the ladder from minimoto to the world stage, Zarco debuted in Grand Prix racing in 2009 and steadily rose through the categories. He now competes in MotoGP, currently riding for Castrol Honda LCR, and remains a prominent figure in international motorcycle racing.
Early Life and Background
Born in Cannes, in the south of France, Johann Zarco grew up in a region with deep ties to motorsport culture. He began his racing journey at a young age, progressing up the motorcycling ladder and moving into minimoto championships in 2004, mainly based in Italy. His early promise was evident: in 2005, he finished as runner-up in the Senior Mini European Championship, and in 2006, he was runner-up in the European Open Championship while also competing in the Italian 125cc championship, where he placed twelfth.
Zarco took part in the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2007, winning the championship at Estoril after taking three victories, and adding a fourth win at the final race in Valencia. These performances earned him a place in the Red Bull MotoGP Academy alongside Cameron Beaubier, Jonas Folger, and Danny Kent. His involvement in the Academy reduced his racing in 2008, when he made a sporadic appearance in the Italian championship with Team Gabrielli.
Path to Motorcycle Racing
Zarco made his Grand Prix debut with the WTR San Marino Team in the 2009 season-opening Qatar Grand Prix, in the 125cc class. He finished that rain-shortened race in the points in fifteenth place, earning half a point, and added seven further points-scoring finishes to end the year twentieth overall, with a best result of sixth at Mugello. He remained with WTR for 2010, scoring consistently in the first eight races and recording his first fastest lap at the Czech Grand Prix, before retiring from the final three events to finish eleventh in the standings.
For 2011, he signed with Ajo Motorsport and gained his first Grand Prix podium with a third-place finish at the Spanish Grand Prix. His performances in the 125cc class marked him as a rising French talent, and his runner-up finish that year in the championship foreshadowed his move to the next category.
Johann Zarco Career
Moto2 Class (2012-2016)
Zarco moved up to the Moto2 class in 2012 with the JiR team aboard Motobi bikes, finishing tenth in the standings with 95 points and emerging as the highest placed rookie that year. In 2013, he switched to the Ioda Project Racing Team aboard a Suter and improved to ninth overall, reaching the podium twice. For 2014, he joined the new Caterham Moto Racing team and, on a machine considered inferior to the dominant Kalex bikes, earned four podium finishes and one pole position, ending sixth with 146 points.
In 2015, Zarco moved to the debuting Ajo Motorsport team, the same squad he had raced with in 125cc. He dominated the field and won his first Moto2 title with eight wins, 14 podiums, 7 poles, and a record points haul of 352. He remained with the team in 2016 and successfully defended his crown, becoming the first rider in the Moto2 era to win two intermediate titles, recording 7 wins, 10 podiums, 7 poles, and 276 points. His spectacular backflip celebrations became a fan favorite during this dominant run.
MotoGP Debut and Tech3 Yamaha Era (2017-2018)
For 2017, Zarco stepped up to the premier class with the Tech3 Yamaha team. He stunned the field on his MotoGP debut at Qatar by leading on the opening lap before crashing out, and he soon scored his first MotoGP podium, a second place, at Le Mans. He took his first pole position at Assen, where contact with Valentino Rossi dropped him down the order, and added further poles at the Japanese Grand Prix. Podiums at Sepang and Valencia rounded out a strong campaign that saw him claim the Rookie of the Year Award and finish sixth overall as the highest placed independent rider.
In 2018, he opened the season with a pole in Qatar and added further poles at the Argentinian and Spanish rounds, as well as at his home French Grand Prix, where he crashed out. He repeated his Sepang podium and again finished sixth in the riders’ championship, confirming his place among the top independent contenders.
KTM and Ducati Years (2019-2023)
In early 2018, Zarco signed a two-year deal to ride for the factory KTM team from 2019. After a difficult start, he and KTM announced a mutual agreement to end the contract prematurely at the Austrian Grand Prix. KTM then released him unconditionally two races later following the Misano Grand Prix. He accepted a Honda offer for the last three races of 2019, finishing thirteenth at his first outing, being knocked off by Joan Mir in the second, and crashing in the third at Valencia.
For 2020, Zarco signed a one-year deal with Esponsorama Racing through Ducati, scoring a pole at Brno and a podium in third the next day, ending the year thirteenth overall. In September 2020, he signed with Pramac Racing for 2021 and enjoyed his strongest MotoGP season to date, finishing fifth in the championship. He stayed with Pramac in 2022, claiming four podiums and ending eighth overall, and was retained for 2023. In Australia, after 120 premier-class races, Zarco won his first MotoGP race, overtaking teammate Jorge Martin on the final lap.
LCR Honda Era (2024-Present)
On 21 August 2023, Zarco announced that he would leave Pramac Racing and move to LCR Honda for 2024, replacing Yamaha-bound Álex Rins. He opened the 2024 season with a twelfth-place finish in Qatar and matched that result at his home French Grand Prix, scoring regular points throughout the year. He ended 2024 seventeenth in the standings, ahead of teammate Takaaki Nakagami and both factory riders, making him the top Honda rider of the season.
Zarco’s 2025 campaign began strongly. At the French Grand Prix, he became the first French rider in 71 years to win on home soil and the first Honda rider to win since Álex Rins at the 2023 Americas Grand Prix. He followed that with a second-place finish at Silverstone, marking the first back-to-back podium for any Honda rider since Marc Márquez in 2021. In September 2025, Zarco extended his contract with LCR Honda for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. In 2025, he was also confirmed as part of Honda’s factory line-up for the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in August, alongside local rider Takumi Takahashi.
Notable Races and Milestones
Zarco’s milestone wins include his first MotoGP victory in Australia in 2023, his historic home-soil victory at the 2025 French Grand Prix, and back-to-back Moto2 titles in 2015 and 2016. His 18 Grand Prix victories across all classes, multiple pole positions, and rookie honors in MotoGP have cemented his status among France’s most successful motorcycle racers.
Johann Zarco Career Wins
Johann Zarco has recorded 18 Grand Prix victories across the 125cc, Moto2, and MotoGP classes, along with two Moto2 World Championships in 2015 and 2016. His tally includes 8 Moto2 wins in 2015 and 7 more in 2016, plus 1 MotoGP win in 2023 and additional wins in the 125cc class. He has also earned multiple pole positions and dozens of podiums at the world championship level.
Moto2 Highlights
Zarco’s Moto2 career peaked with consecutive titles in 2015 and 2016, the first double champion in the Moto2 era. His 2015 campaign set a class record for points, while his 2016 title defense included seven wins and ten podiums, highlighted by his signature backflip celebrations.
MotoGP and Other Wins
In MotoGP, Zarco’s breakthrough came in 2023 in Australia, his first premier-class victory after 120 starts. He added a home-soil win at the 2025 French Grand Prix and followed it with a second place at Silverstone. Earlier, in 125cc, he scored his first Grand Prix podium at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix with Ajo Motorsport.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has marked a major resurgence for Johann Zarco with LCR Honda. His victory at the French Grand Prix made him the first French rider in 71 years to win a Grand Prix on home soil, ending a long national drought. The result was also the first non-Ducati feature-race win in 22 races and the first Honda victory since Álex Rins in 2023.
Zarco’s podium run continued at Silverstone, where his second-place finish gave Honda its first back-to-back podiums since Marc Márquez in 2021. He also opened the year as the leading Honda rider during the early stages of the season, a notable shift for a manufacturer that has struggled for form in recent years. He carries the number 5 on his LCR Honda machine.
Zarco has also been confirmed as part of Honda’s factory line-up for the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in August, riding alongside Takumi Takahashi. With his contract now extended through 2027, his partnership with LCR Honda provides a stable platform to build on the early 2025 momentum and chase further milestones.
