KTM won almost against all odds a week ago in Brno. A feat due to the mastery of Brad Binder, even though he was only a beginner. The Austrian brand has entered the exclusive club of winning manufacturers in the premier Grand Prix category. The last entry was in 2003 with Ducati. However, certain remarks have tainted this legitimate happiness. Numerous tests with information collected with and on the Michelins would have made this possible. The only manufacturer in the category responded to these insinuations. Pol Espargaró, unfortunate hero in Brno, had his bloodshed while he was taking up residence at the Red Bull Ring…
Pol Espargaro arrives on the Red Bull Ring which will be the scene of two Grands Prix in two successive weekends. A series which will begin this Friday. Frustrated by a good performance on the other hand achieved by his young teammate Brad Binder following a race with Johann zarco, he responds to comments about the fact that KTM owes its current form to his knowledge of tires Michelin acquired through numerous tests and information exchanged on these occasions.
« For tires, they are the same for everyone, we have the same numbers, they are the same compounds. We use them better than the others, what we get out of them is better and our bike is better than the others, in the same way that they were faster than us in the last race. It's a competition, and we were faster than them during the weekend ».
“It’s funny to hear these things”
Pol Espargaro rightly recalls that if KTM does more tests than the others, it is because the regulations authorize it. It is therefore unfair to imply anything else: “ we had the concession points, we were able to do the tests and we are taking advantage of it. Aprilia also has the concessions and does not take advantage of them. We use what we have, those are the rules. What I can tell you is that we were faster than the others ».
Then he launches, in remarks relayed by motrosport.com Swiss version: “ At Yamaha, when they win, they don't complain about top speeds. When Ducati wins, they don't complain about the rear grip. Our bike is amazing, it's fun to hear these things, that means we're doing things well, but maybe it's also the drivers who are doing a good job, maybe the bike isn't everything, right? Because if only the bike counts, Yamaha won and not Fabio Quartararo, Ducati won and not Dovi, and Honda won, not Márquez. When they win, it's because the riders are very good and very fast, but when the others win, it's because the KTM is fast, it's fun. You know, the riders are good, the bike works and the results are there ».
This is what is said. Now for sport. And apparently in the rain Styria...
