The pilot market did not remain closed during confinement imposed by the Coronavirus health crisis. Certainly, the best purchases had already been made, in what we now identify as the world of the past. But the one after was used by Suzuki to retain the loyalty of its young guard, a move which awakened Ducati which promoted Jack Miller to its factory team, to the great displeasure of Danilo Petrucci. On the stall side, there is Aprilia and KTM where everything remains to be done. Two brands dear to the two Espargaró brothers. But if Aleix wants to stay in Noale, Pol sometimes talks about somewhere else...
Pol Espargaro is the spearhead of the project RC16 in KTM. His contract must be renewed. Even if he is grateful for the confidence the Austrians have in him, even if he feels that the RC16 project is not without potential, he also knows that he is reaching an age where he needs a winning bike. An imperative that he mentioned when speaking of Honda.
An approach thatAlberto Puig has already noted to better highlight it: “ The Honda is a very similar bike to the KTM and is an option to consider if the opportunity arises. But right now, everything is a guess. Positions are now quite limited and pilots without contracts negotiate as much as possible to improve their situation. There is nothing closed neither with KTM nor with any other brand » the Spaniard commented. Since then, Ducati has moved its pawns. And Pol Espargaro is also a candidate to evaluate…
We were there, until the youngest of the I will espargaro add another layer. On Onda Cero's radio show, Radioestadio del Motor, he confirmed having conversations with Honda et Ducati. " Teams talk to drivers and vice versa. Managers talk to all teams and even if there is no interest from the team, you need to have contact until you make a decision. But contacts with Ducati and Honda, which are the two factories with vacancies, are active, as with KTM ».
“Contacts with Honda and Ducati are active”
KTM should he be worried? Maybe not, because Pol Espargaro insists on the need to be an official driver in a factory team. Gold, Honda would only offer a handlebar at LCR while Ducati has a place at Pramac, or satellite stables… “ I was once promised an official bike in a satellite team and was never satisfied Pol remembers. “ I don't know how Honda or the LCR team works, or what kind of support the factory offers ».
« When I was on the Yamaha satellite team the only official thing I had were the documents I signed and I was very disappointed. That's why I moved to KTM, to have a factory behind me. I want to fight for a title and the only way is to have a factory behind it. And even if a satellite team has support, it will be difficult for them to challenge for a world title ". Despite the ongoing discussions, everything seems predictable... Unless Andrea Dovizioso surprised us with a resounding decision…
