Pol Espargaró takes stock of his two years spent at Honda and, listening to him, it seems that it is to settle all accounts. The Spaniard still leaves the door open to an LCR option while the rumor promises him a reunion not only with KTM but also with Tech3. We will have to wait for Joan Mir's destination to confirm these scenarios, because if the latter makes a sensational entry into the Ducati clan, Honda will have to review its plans. In the meantime, he recognizes that his adventure with the RC213V should be classified among the many disappointed hopes that have marked his career so far...
A disappointment all the greater as he sees his older brother Aleix rewarded for his self-sacrifice with Aprilia assumed since 2017 by playing the leading roles in this 2022 season. Pol, for his part, is far from it, and he has come to terms with the idea that it will not happen to him soon... On motorsport magazine, he says thus: “ When I entered MotoGP I was a satellite rider with Yamaha. You couldn't win with that package back then. I really suffered there. Then I started this brand new project with KTM and of course you can't win with a brand new bike either. At Honda, my riding style didn't suit the bike last year. I expected a step forward with the new version but it doesn't work. So now I'm fighting again ».
And he ends up questioning himself: “Were my decisions always the right ones? I was still missing something, that's why I decided to switch to Honda. I wanted to take the next step after finishing fifth overall with KTM in 2020. I thought it was the right decision. Unfortunately it didn't work ". This is what is said and it could be the preliminary to a farewell speech.
Pol Espargaro: “ I came to Honda to be world champion«
Because the disillusionment is deep: “ I came to Honda to be world champion. Everything went well in winter. I have never felt so strong. I didn't have a single crash and had the best pace in Malaysia and Indonesia. The other drivers couldn't even beat me with new tires. When you feel that magic and you lose it, it's really hard ».
A priori, it will therefore find in MotoGP one of the three European brands which have gained a strong ascendancy over their Japanese counterparts which almost annihilated them in the last century. A turnaround that Pol Espargaró explains as follows: “ Japanese engineers are sensational. They are incredibly intelligent, but some things take a long time because they want to do everything perfectly. The mentality of European manufacturers is different. They also give you parts that they don't know if they work. The Japanese always play it safe. Kuwata-san, the HRC director explained to me that for them pilot safety is more important than performance ».
Pol Espargaro now 31 years, so that his future choices will weigh more than the previous ones. But he always asserts himself at the forefront: “ As I gain experience, I get better at avoiding mistakes and controlling my emotions better. I'm still very fast and I've organized my life better around MotoGP now. It makes me a better driver. I think I'm in the best phase of my racing career "He assures.
For 2023, all the lights are green so that Pol Espargaro finds an orange motorcycle. After the announcement of the arrival of Jack Miller, the brand KTM did not hide that the Spaniard was going to follow the trajectory of the Australian, but in the team Tech3 : “ Pol had a very strong influence on the MotoGP project from 2017 to 2020. With his help, we got to where we are. Pol still has a score to settle at KTM. Because when the bike became capable of winning, he left us for another manufacturer, where he pursued his childhood dream. In the meantime, we have noticed that everything is not easier there than at home. Like Jack Miller, Pol has extraordinary abilities. » We are waiting for the official announcement.
