Pol Espargaró hasn't said his last word. At 33, the Catalan wants to continue racing, and he is now the number one favorite to replace Michaël Van Der Mark in the official BMW Superbike team.
Back on track at Hungarian Grand Prix, where he replaced Maverick Vinales in Tech3 KTM with a solid performance (eighth in the race, ahead of Pecco Bagnaia), Espargaró sent a clear message: " I never retiredI'm still running and I want to keep going. »
Behind this statement lies the truth: his agent is already working to find him a permanent manager, and the doors are opening.
BMW is looking for a strong figure to fill the void left by Van der Mark and give even more credibility to his project SuperbikeThe Spaniard ticks all the boxes: experienced, charismatic, capable of bringing development.
According to the latest indiscretions, Pol Espargaro is in pole position to join Danilo Petrucci in the box BMWOnly a last-minute surprise could reverse the trend.
The contract? Probably only one season, BMW not having yet confirmed its future beyond 2026.
Pol Espargaró had first knocked on Ducati's door
Pol Espargaro had also tried his luck at Ducati, on the Panigale V4R left vacant by Alvaro Bautista. But Borgo Panigale wants to bet on youth. Result: it is Iker Lecuona who will inherit the official machine, while Baptist will continue at Barni Racing.
With this possible departure, KTM would be without its faithful tester. After two years spent developing the RC16 in the shadows, I will espargaro is moving away, and Mattighofen will have to quickly find a replacement.
I will espargaro didn't just talk at the Balaton Park weekend: he acted. Qualified directly in Q2, he offered himself a muscular battle with bagnaia to take eighth place in the Hungarian Grand PrixA performance that reminded the entire paddock that he wasn't finished.
If the agreement materializes, Pol Espargaro will ride in 2026 the BMW M1000RR, with the mission of proving that he still has the speed and the desire.
