Pol Espargaro’s chances to return at HONDA following KTM disappointment
Honda’s search for their 2024 could end at Pol Espargaro after his unfortunate row with KTM.
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Pol Espargaro (via motonews)
Pol Espargaro has been left without a seat in the 2024 season after KTM’s fumble of signing more riders than they have bikes. Officially, the rider still remains to be a third rider at KTM, but he will be shifting more to a ‘reserve rider’ role. Reports suggest that Marc Marquez’s departure from Honda could provide the Spaniard a better option at their garage.
Espargaro has been a Honda rider before; the rider rode the 2021 and 2022 seasons for the factory team. However, this term didn’t reap many rewards for Espargaro, as he secured only one podium in his two years with the team. The reason behind Honda’s plight of signing their new rider is that the Japanese team will be looking for an experienced rider who can develop the RC213V and help solve its issues.
The Spaniard is known for his ability to develop a bike because of his KTM years – where he helped develop the new factory bike into a race-winning monster. Moreover, Espargaro has been in the Premiere Class since 2014, proving his experience. Honda’s potential rider profile fits perfectly with Pol Espargaro’s; it will be interesting to see if the pairing does come true.
KTM’s massive BLUNDER that led to Pol Espargaro’s departure
KTM recently announced their 2024 lineup, with rising star Pedro Acosta stepping up to join the MotoGP ranks at the Gas Gas Tech3 Racing team, a satellite outfit under the KTM umbrella. This move marks a shift in the current role held by Pol Espargaro. The official statement from KTM indicates that Espargaro will now become a “prominent member of the MotoGP program on both sides of the pit wall,” highlighting his continued importance within the organization. He is set to be a crucial asset in nurturing young talents and reinforcing the strength of their current racing setup.
Moreover, Pit Beirer, KTM’s motorsport director, expressed his gratitude for Espargaro’s contributions, emphasizing his determination and resilience despite shunting the Spaniard out of his riding seat in 2024. It’s worth noting that KTM initially planned to retain the 32-year-old rider while promoting Acosta to the premier class.
KTM had been actively lobbying for more grid entries, particularly the two vacancies left by Suzuki’s exit. However, their efforts faced resistance from Dorna as their pursuit of additional grid spots for the 2024 season led them to an unusual situation where they had five riders for their four available bikes, ultimately resulting in Espargaro’s unfortunate demotion.
As all satellite teams were already committed to other manufacturers, KTM is now waiting for a potential partnership in 2025. There was even a brief discussion about KTM entering as a separate entity using one of their subsidiary brands, Husqvarna, but this idea was met with a stern refusal from Dorna. Consequently, Pol Espargaro was on the receiving end of this challenging situation.
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Himanshu Chavan
(232 Articles Published)