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MotoGP, Pol Espargarò: "for Aleix to make Honda win again is an incredible goal"

"He had many things in mind and wanted to do them before he was too old. Honda is working, and it's a great adventure, but achieving the result is not just a matter of work, resources or money available. The test team is also important."

MotoGP: Pol Espargarò:

With his career as a full-time MotoGP rider over, Aleix Espargaró will step into a new reality in 2025. In addition to his role as a Honda team test rider, the Catalan will in fact embark on a new adventure in cycling, tackling a few second-class races as an ambassador for the Lidl-Trek team.

Many were surprised by Espargaró's change of heart and his decision to leave the Aprilia team after being its "Captain" for a full eight seasons, but not his younger brother Pol. Perfectly aware of what a MotoGP rider faces, season after season, and the thoughts that have crowded his brother's mind, the 33-year-old explained what prompted him to start a new chapter in his career.

"Aleix was looking for something like this," Pol said, as reported by Spanish news outlet TodoCircuito. "It's really hard to imagine the pressure these guys have every day to get results. They are demanding during the race weekends, but also in their lifestyle," underlined the KTM test rider, who just this year experienced firsthand that life outside the paddock that now awaits his brother as well. "Aleix got to a point where he had many things on his mind, thinking about what he wanted to do in the future. He wants to be with his family. He also likes cycling and wants to do something before he is too old. He wants to experience different things in life, which is understandable after so many years."

Having raced for Honda in the 2021-2022 two-year period, Pol also has no trouble understanding the electrifying challenge Aleix has decided to embark on, having played a key role in the development of the Aprilia RS-GP:"To go to Honda and make them win again or take them back to the top again is an incredible goal, a great adventure."

But the younger Espargaró is convinced that Honda will have to pay attention to every detail in order to return the RC213V to the competitiveness that allowed it to win six World Championships with Marc Marquez.

"I know they are working, but it's not just a question of work, resources or how much money you have to achieve the result. It's a whole thing: how you work, how the organization is, how the testing is. Because testing is a very important part of the sport," he commented, emphasizing the importance of test riders in today's MotoGP: "Riders race twice a weekend, so they don't have time for testing. That's why having a strong test team is critical to the progress of the manufacturers."

 

Translated by Julian Thomas

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