This weekend in Valencia, Jorge Lorenzo will not be the only M1 rider to say goodbye to Yamaha. There will also be some heartbreak under the Tech3 awning where Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro will finish packing up to leave to join KTM. And Aleix's younger brother, who will go to Aprilia after finishing his lease with Suzuki, would like to offer one last gift to a team that has welcomed him for three years.
Three seasons with the Tech3 team with a Yamaha contract in your pocket is no small feat in a rider's career. Pol Espargaro will certainly not have succeeded in convincing the official team of the value of his services, but at least he will have been able to convince a KTM factory to recruit him. And that he can try until the end of this year. It is therefore without bitterness, but also for the moment without the slightest podium, that he will leave the troops ofHervé Poncharal. To whom he would like to give a nice gift.
In fact, he could offer them several. The best thing would be to present yourself as the tenth winner of the year. Take the 17 points that separate it from Cal Crutchlow to assert itself as the first of the independent pilots would also not be bad. And there is also the confirmation of the leading position of the French team in the ranking of independent structures, leading Pramac by 27 points. It would then be five seasons since Tech3 won this award!
« Valencia is always an important event because it is the final » comments Pol. “ I am also at home. This year's Grand Prix will be even more special, however, as I will make my final appearance as a Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider, after three incredible years. I had good, and not so good, moments there, but I learned a lot within this team, which was like a family in my eyes. ».
« I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I will try to close this chapter on a good note. I have had good results there in the past. In 2015, it was more difficult but I was still able to finish in the Top 5. Obviously, this performance will be difficult to repeat, because certain factory bikes like the Ducati or the Suzuki are much more competitive. . We will see how I feel with the tires on this track and what the weather will be like. But whatever happens, I will give my best as always ».
