Losing control of his KTM RC 16 on January 29 afternoon during the Sepang test, Pol Espargaro injured his T4 vertebra. Operated on February 12 in Barcelona, the Granolers driver then rested for a week, skipping testing in Thailand, before riding yesterday in Losail.
Unfortunately, the 56 laps completed overcame the Catalan's will and he will have to stay calm on Friday before trying to ride again on Saturday. It will be replaced today by Mika Kallio.
Espargaro Pol clarified his situation in front of the camera of the official website MotoGP.com : “It was good to be here again and riding again, but unfortunately I still don't feel ready enough to continue riding tomorrow. I did a lot of laps today but I'm not in good shape and I can't ride like usual. We need to develop the bike to be a good bike, but at the moment I'm not the Pol I used to be. But it's good to try, it was good to do a few laps, but tomorrow Mika will ride in my place and replace me. I think Mika will do better than me tomorrow. Only two weeks have passed since the surgery and rehabilitation normally begins after two months. I feel weak in this area so I need to use other muscles to compensate. And since I've been in bed for two weeks, I feel weak, and I'm stressed on the bike. I will try to help as much as possible around the bike, at the side of the track and in the box, trying to give some advice. Then on the third day I will try again if I feel good. »
#QatarTest MotoGP Losail J.1: Chronos
1. Maverick Vinales, Yamaha, 1:55,053 min
2. Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati, +0,051 sec
3. Andrea Iannone, Suzuki, +0,054
4. Johann Zarco, Yamaha, +0,133
5. Jorge Lorenzo, Ducati, 0,370
6. Alex Rins, Suzuki, +0,379
7. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, +0,379
8. Danilo Petrucci, Ducati, +0,475
9. Cal Crutchlow, Honda, +0,483
10. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0,492
11. Dani Pedrosa, Honda, +0,502
12. Jack Miller, Ducati, +0,635
13. Álvaro Bautista, Ducati, +0,795
14. Takaaki Nakagami, Honda, +0,800
15. Scott Redding, Aprilia, +0,878
16. Tito Rabat, Ducati, +0,976
17. Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia, +1,009
18. Karel Abraham, Ducati, +1,215
19. Pol Espargaro, KTM, +1,222
20. Bradley Smith, KTM, +1,368
21. Franco Morbidelli, Honda, +1,555
22. Hafizh Syahrin, Yamaha, +1,678
23. Tom Lüthi, Honda, +2,239
24. Xavier Siméon, Ducati, +2,660
