Moto GP: Johann Zarco and KTM split up

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Moto GP: Johann Zarco and KTM split up
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Moto GP: Johann Zarco and KTM split up

Moto GP
Johann Zarco and KTM split up

The 29-year-old Frenchman agreed to terminate his contract with KTM after the Spielberg GP. Actually, a collaboration until the end of the 2020 season was agreed. Test driver Kallio will take over the Zarco machine for the remainder of the season.


Uli Baumann

09/17/2019

Zarco had asked the team leaders to terminate their contract immediately after the race on Sunday. On Monday (August 12th, 2019) the Austrian manufacturer officially confirmed the separation at the end of the season. In a statement it says: “Johann and the team have decided not to continue the joint project in 2020. The focus now is on delivering the maximum for the remaining eight races of the 2019 season. “

Zarco came to from the Tech3 Yamaha team KTM and is to receive an annual fee of 1.5 million euros there. So far, however, the Frenchman has lagged far behind expectations. Both team-mate Pol Espargaró and KTM rookie Miguel Oliveira are regularly faster than Zarco. The Portuguese, who competes for the Tech 3 satellite team, finished eighth in Spielberg, making it the best KTM rider.

Zarco has 22 points after eleven races and is ranked 17th in the World Championship. Pol Espargaró has already scored 61 points and is therefore eleventh in the World Championship.

KTM without top riders, Kallio replaces Zarco

Test driver Mika Kallio takes over the Zarco machine from Aragon. The Finn will contest the remaining seven races of the 2019 season as a team-mate of Pol Espargaro as the second regular driver. Zarco remains contractually bound to KTM until the end of the season. Dani Pedrosa, also a test driver at KTM, is out of the question for racing. The Spaniard has already stated several times that he will not contest any more races after the end of his career. Zarco’s future is still uncertain. The most likely variant for 2020 is currently a job as a test driver at Yamaha. Zarco himself wants to officially comment on this in early October.

For 2020, KTM is without a top driver. Ducati rider Jack Miller, who has not yet signed a contract extension with the Italians, is traded as a possible successor.

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