MotoGP, Aleix Espargaro: "Martin? Physically wiped out but, mentally, he's worse."

Having retired from racing, Aleix Espargaro is currently a test rider for Honda HRC, as well as having converted to biking. Having become a professional cyclist for the Lidl Treck team, the Aleix is still in his apprenticeship and study phase, before he makes his team debut in a few months.

A keen observer of what's happening in his former sport, the 35-year-old couldn't, however, not comment on the sad ending of Jorge Martin's Lusail weekend, when he was again knocked out during his season debut with Aprilia.

"Even if he's of danger, the injury is really serious, so he'll have to stay several more days in intensive care in Qatar. From a physical point of view, it's a complex injury, but it's from a mental point of view that it's definitely a difficult blow to deal with, since it comes after two consecutive falls that caused him to miss the start of the championship. He really didn't deserve it. During the summer, I'll try to stay close to him so that he can distract himself and recover well because, at the end of the day, he's a very young. Really, it was a hard blow for everyone," he said in an interview with Marca.

Since he's a long-time friend of the reigning MotoGP world champion, he's in constant contact with him. "I speak with his family and with him, daily, on the phone. He's still in a lot of pain, problems with his lung, and he's attached to a machine on the other side of the world. It's a really complicated situation. What we hope is that he won't have to postpone his return to Spain, even by a week, to begin his recovery," he continued.

Who, instead, is experiencing a state of grace, unlike the Martinator, is Marc Marquez. And precisely regarding the eight-time world champion's exceptional condition, the Catalan rider - who'll bein on the track as a wild card in the upcoming round of the Spanish calendar - said: "It seems very difficult for any rival to beat him, since several factors have occured. The best rider in the world and, perhaps, in history, on the fastest bike. Plus, and we can clearly see this, he has speed and has reached such a level of maturity and lucidity that he has everything under control. Let's say he has everything ready ... plan A,B, and C. He's riding in a stratospheric manner, and I think it's unlikely that someone will stop him."