Johann Zarco joins Reale Avintia Racing for 2020 MotoGP season

Bengaluru, December 10: French rider Johann Zarco has joined Reale Avintia Racing Team for the 2020 FIM MotoFP World Championship season.

The former Yamaha, KTM and Honda rider will be back on the MotoGP grid full time on a Ducati, having finished the 2019 season with LCR Honda Idemitsu.

"I'm very please to officially announce my signature with Ducati for 2020 season in MotoGP category in the Reale Avintia Racing Team," Zarco tweeted after signing a one-year deal with the Ducati factory.

I am very please to officially announce my signature with Ducati for 2020 season in MotoGP category in the Reale Avintia Racing Team. My left ankle is recovering well, I can enjoy now my winter time having rest… https://t.co/qnryCIEbb7

— Johann Zarco (@JohannZarco1) December 9, 2019

The 29-year-old's Instagram post added that his ankle is healing well, after being swept off his feet by the sliding bike of Iker Lecuona in the Valencia season finale, and that he will start training very soon.

Zarco replaces Karel Karel Abraham, who confirmed he had left the team before the Jerez Test at the end of November. Tito Rabat is the other rider of the team.

Initially, Zarco was tipped to replace Zarco the retired Jorge Lorenzo at Repsol Honda next season, but lost out to world champion Mar Marquez's brother Alex Marquez.

Reale Avintia Racing Team owner Raul Romero welcomes Zarco on board, "I'm really happy and excited with the arrival of a great rider like Johann (Zarco) to our team from the hand of Ducati. This further strengthens the growth of the team after extending the contract with the Manufacturer of Borgo Panigale, making a leap of quality in terms of material by becoming a satellite team. We hope to see Johann and Tito (Rabat) assiduously in the top ten and become a reference team soon."