De Raquel Jiménez Rodriguez / Motosan.es
At Motosan we had the opportunity to chat with KTM rider Pol Espargaró, who talked to us about topics such as the arrival of Dani Pedrosa to the team, his wishes for 2020 and the evolution of KTM.
Pol Espargaró (June 10, 1991, Granollers) started racing in the motorcycle world at the age of two, practically before taking his first steps. A hobby instilled from the cradle by his father, also to his older brother Aleix Espargaró. A passion which allowed him to make his debut in the world championship riding a Derbi. The youngest son Espargaró has accumulated successes, victories, podiums and a Moto2 World Champion title in 2013.
Under the motto 'Never give up', "Polyccio" has shown over the years that his passion for motorcycling has no limits, which has allowed him to overcome injuries like that of Brno 2018 and to fully invest in a project that, until now, has given him as much satisfaction as frustration. A trajectory which, without a doubt, makes him number one in the KTM project.
We can say that this season has been your best year since joining KTM. What assessment can we draw up?
“I always want more, and I end up getting very frustrated when things don't go well, like on the Pacific tour, where we were a little lost. On a physical level, I had to suffer again. I started the year still with the consequences of the accident in Brno, but, little by little, I started to feel better, and this coincided with my best moment of the season, which was abruptly interrupted by my injury in Aragón. »
“Despite all this, I think the outcome must be positive. We finished eleventh overall, which with the current level of bikes and riders is not easy, and even less so for us, who always have to juxtapose the preparation of the race with the development of the bike, which limits our time. In addition, we were in the top 10 in eight races, and we had some good moments, like in Austin and Misano, and especially the race at Le Mans. And the bike, of course, has continued to improve and we continue to achieve interesting milestones. »
If you had to rate this year, what would it be?
“As I said, I ask a lot, but I think that a good mark, even if it is low, would not be a very exaggerated mark. »
At the start of the season, many people bet that with the arrival of Zarco there would be a before and after for KTM, but, in the end, it was you who had the best performances. Do you think that in some way you have been underestimated?
“What is clear is that Johann came with the stripes to be number one and to take us a step forward. It was just because of what he did with Yamaha, but it didn't end up like that. »
“I always said I was looking forward to having it in the box because it could be useful for calibrating me as a rider and the bike with someone fast at the controls. But on motorcycles, two plus two doesn't always equal four. I've always said I don't think there are gods, and sometimes a rider doesn't fit on a motorcycle and things go wrong. And that doesn't necessarily mean the bike is bad, although it is true that ours is at least complex, and requires a lot of work and sacrifice. »
Compared to last season, you managed to score points in 17 of the 19 races in which you participated, which is twice as many. How do you assess the big change that has taken place at KTM in just one year?
“You've already asked if I've been underestimated, but what I think isn't valued enough is the work that KTM has done. This bike is only three years old, but those years have been incomplete; in 2018, Bradley knew from the start that he wouldn't continue, Mika was seriously injured and I was right after, so we lost a lot of development time. »
“This year, there were four riders, three who didn't know the bike, including Johann who suffered a lot on the bike, and me who was injured again. So we still lost a lot of time but continued to make progress, which I think shows the level of work that is being done. Probably in a period where MotoGP is the best of all time, with riders and four front bikes at a very high level. »
One of the most important events of this year was the arrival of Dani Pedrosa to the ranks of KTM. Since then, the team has seen quite a change. What is the biggest change Dani has made so far? Do you think that with his arrival, the efforts you have made over the years are a little overshadowed?
“Let’s see, you don’t need to overdo it. Dani's arrival was important because she gave another dimension to the development work, and because she brought ideas. He is a very sensitive, technical and experienced pilot, which allows him to give “touches” in many areas and to open our eyes to many things. The real fruit of this work, we will begin to see this year 2020, because it is also true that he started testing late because of his operation and that he then had a lot of bad luck with the weather during of his tests. But it brings a lot of intangible things, concepts and working methods. »
On more than one occasion, we have seen you share your feelings. Did he give you any advice?
“Of course we share all the information: he questions me a lot when I try new things, and also when he is at a Grand Prix. And I did the same when he worked on the bike. It's a luxury to have him there. We didn't talk much when he was still racing, and this was a personal discovery. »
The arrival of young riders means there is more and more challenge for older MotoGP riders. At KTM you are the oldest rider. With the arrival of Oliveira, Binder and Lecuona, do you think it makes it more difficult for the old drivers to fight with the new ones?
" I do not think so. I think in general we are all quite young, and we are already seeing today that sporting careers are longer and that age is not a determining factor. It's good for us to have these fast and talented drivers because we can learn from everyone. »
“I’ve said it since the start of the year with Miguel. He wasn't influenced by another MotoGP, so sometimes he did things that I hadn't done, and you learn from that. It's true that the development of a motorcycle is a factor to take into account, and the more beginners there are, the more work there is for me. Although I think KTM is taking a good path in this direction. What I think is that KTM's work is not valued enough. »
You once said that you would like to have a teammate to suffer with you in order to develop the team. But, in your opinion, what would be the ideal partner for Pol Espargaró?
“The teammate is the first opponent you want to beat. As a factory we can use riders who can help us work on the bike, but it's a very individual sport so I don't worry about my teammate. And, in general, I get along well with everyone I've had: Efrén, Olivé, Debise, Tito, Axel, Bradley, Johann... What I like is having a strong driver, because with competition between us, you progress further. »
There has been a lot of talk this year about the fact that you would be, with Marc Márquez, one of the few drivers capable of driving a Honda. Do you think that under the same conditions you could beat him?
“I don't like pretend motorcycling, and like I told you here: two plus two sometimes doesn't make four... I have no idea, and I don't think it's something to I should think. »
“I know that we have similar driving styles, and also that since our childhood we have been fighting on the track against each other, but from there to say something else... And even more so seeing the spectacular level that Marc has reached ! What I always say is if he's successful with this bike, the bike, even if it's difficult to ride, must be good. »
A little over a year ago, you suffered a very hard fall that put you out of competition for a few weeks. How can a driver continue to take risks every weekend after an injury like the one at Brno 2018?
" I do not really know. When I was injured, all I could think about was coming back, and that's still the case. Now when I think about it, I'm more aware of the severity of that fall than at the time of the injury, when my mind was solely focused on recovery. It’s a unique job, and a passion; 19 may seem like a lot of races, but you suffer a lot watching just one from home. I guess that's where you get your strength from. »
If you could make one wish for the new year, what would it be?
“After the last question you asked, health, of course. Without thinking about it, to be able to enjoy driving. I know that when I do it, things happen, and I know that if I can do it, it will be because we continued to improve. I don't know how far we can go, but of course I would like it to go as far as fighting for the top spots every weekend. »
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