Pol Espargaró is therefore where he wanted to face the challenge he dreamed of. That is to say in one of the best teams in the world, if not even the best, on the bike that the best rider in the world rode so well that he took victories and titles like other pearls. A situation that would intimidate more than one, but Pol Espargaró is on the contrary delighted. Because he will finally know where he stands...
Pol Espargaro would also have reason to worry when remembering the fates of his predecessors Dani Pedrosa et Jorge Lorenzo who did not stand the comparison against a Marc Marquez who ended up shaping the RC213V in his image. A situation of which Honda is actually biting his fingers today. The Japanese are in fact currently deprived of their champion whom they signed until 2024, and who is unavailable due to an injury that will not heal.
Result, Honda has never been this low since 2002. But Pol Espargaro has taken care of it. He sees beyond and he is so eager to live this experience that he is already speculating on the fact that the reluctant RC213V, which has used so many others before him, will in fact be perfect for him... In an interview on the Official website of the brand, he thus surprises by affirming without blinking: “ I have seen this motorcycle many times in photos and videos and I see that it is a fairly small motorcycle. These shorter motorcycles that you can manage as you want, tend to move a little more but it's the kind of bike I like to ride ».
Pol Espargaro: “the Honda is made for my riding style”
And he explains why: “ you have a big influence on the bike, you're the one who tells it what it should do. Sometimes you really have to force her to do one or two things she doesn't want to do, but that's the way I roll. I like to brake late, and I have seen that all the riders who ride the Repsol Honda manage to brake very late and very aggressively. This favors me a lot because of my riding style ».
As a result, he can’t wait to verify these certainties on the track: “ I can already tell I'm going to be nervous, super nervous, shaking and I don't think I'm going to sleep the night before! It’s a chapter in my life that I’ve always tried to imagine. I'm looking forward to the moment I get on this bike for the first time, I think it's a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life and I really want to enjoy it ».
Enthusiasm is also felt when he presents his roadmap: “ the main goal of the season cannot be anything other than getting on the podium or trying to win races, or even the world title. We need to improve our results compared to last year, I had a good year, but it can be better, and I will do my best. The first year won't be easy, but I didn't come to the Repsol Honda team to fight for the top six in the championship, I came here to achieve the biggest goal of my career which is to one day be MotoGP world champion. Winning races is sure and that goal can be achieved here at Repsol Honda ».
With or without Marc Marquez, Pol Espargaro finished : " when you imagine yourself wearing these colors or having a bike like this and you finally do it, it's amazing. You make your dreams come true, I'm living my dream. Yes, 100% ».
