Espargaro not a “proper MotoGP rider” until he joined KTM
Pol Espargaro admits he wasn’t a “proper MotoGP rider” before joining KTM and says there’s no way he could have gone to Honda without his years with the Austrian marque.
The 2013 Moto2 world champion was signed by KTM for its first season in the premier class back in 2017, and has since gone on to score six podiums and two pole positions, as well as spearheading development of the RC16.
Next year Espargaro will move to the factory Honda squad to join Marc Marquez, with Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira heading KTM’s works outfit.
Speaking to Motorsport.com ahead of his final KTM appearance this weekend in the Portuguese Grand Prix, Espargaro says he is now on “another level” as a rider thanks to KTM and feels the Austrian manufacturer “taught” him how to be a top MotoGP rider.
“100%, KTM is part of this,” Espargaro said when asked if his move to Honda would have been possible without his time at KTM.
“Now in one level, for sure riding on track, but also psychologically I’m at one level I’ve never been, matured.
“Now I can lose and I don’t feel like a loser. I don’t know how to explain it, because I feel that in KTM I have grown from a kid in this MotoGP world to a man.
“I have discovered many tools to use on the bike that if I were, for example, jump from my first bike in MotoGP to HRC it would for me be impossible to adapt because many tools I’m using now I just discovered at KTM and they were building me, I was building with them this bike and I know every single piece of the bike what matters, how to touch the bike and how the electronics need set up.
“They taught me how to be a rider, actually. I was not a rider [before]. I was a man riding a bike but I was not a proper MotoGP rider.
“They taught me how to do it and without this knowledge, for me it would be impossible to face the best rider in the world. I feel like a man now. It’s so, so much different.”
Espargaro currently sits seventh in the championship ahead of the final round and is just three points outside of a top five place in the standings.
Related video
Previous article
Mir "more intelligent" than MotoGP rivals, says Alex Marquez
Next article
Quartararo: Portugal more about improving myself than bike
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Event | Portuguese GP |
| Drivers | Pol Espargaro |
| Teams | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title
