Pit Beirer dropped the ball in Losail: Dani Pedrosa will be back in official competition in Jerez, in front of the Spanish fans, as the spearhead of the KTM test structure, the largest and perhaps the most complete of all the MotoGP grid. In fact, in addition to Pedrosa, the team includes Pol Espargaró, former rider of the GASGAS Factory Team last season, and the German Jonas Folger, whose collaboration agreement with KTM has been extended until 2024.
Despite the possibility of using up to six wild cards throughout 2024 under the new concessions system, KTM does not plan to use them all, according to Pete Beirer, sports director of Pierer Mobility AG. However, the same announcement before the season launch in Qatar that a wild card, almost certainly, will be used in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez in April, with Dani Pedrosa as the protagonist.
Beirer stresses that the decision to use additional wild cards will be taken based on the progress of the season and testing needs. He also mentions the desire to Pedrosa to race on certain specific circuits. We can therefore also expect to see him arrive at Misano, where he had been a constant threat to the podium at the San Marino Grand Prix!
« Dani will race in Jerez. It seems quite certain » said the KTM man. “ Everything else will be decided depending on how the season goes. These will be races that we will need as tests. Dani has some favorite tracks he would like to race on. And then there is Pol, who prefers to run today rather than tomorrow ».
Pit Beirer: “ our agreement with Pol Espargaró is not only there to calm our guilty conscience »
Exactly, Pol Espargaro … He will be the first replacement driver in the event of injury or setback for one of the four drivers holding KTM, and its experience will also be used in a few wild cards to continue the development of the RC16: “ it is not an agreement that we want to use only to calm our guilty conscience… » says Beirer referring to its replacement by Peter Acosta while his contract MotoGP mentioned one more season as starting driver...
He adds : " those who follow him recognize that he doesn't seem to be bad at the moment ", he said about a Pol Espargaro who has already left his mark in the first days of preseason work with the test team KTM : " During the winter he enjoyed being an important member of the testing team for us. It also made us even better. He was there with his experience for the drivers and he was always very close, whether it was technical issues, driving on the track or how the mechanics treat the drivers. He helps us in all areas and he is aware that we really need him. ».
Pete Beirer insists that wild card decisions will be made based on what makes sense at the time. He underlines the importance of testing for the development of the bike without the pressure of racing, while recognizing the need to confirm operation under the stress of competition... Hence the interest in having a three-way test structure seasoned pilots. A logic apparently only understood by the Pierer Mobility group.
