Pol Espargaro was at the “origin” of KTM in MotoGP but ended up being passed over last year for the 2024 season so that the manufacturer could promote Pedro Acosta, and that’s something that the former full-time rider now understands more than ever.
The Spaniard, quoted by Crash, recalled the energy that young riders bring, and gave the example of other riders who are super energetic: ‘You need to understand what our level is. My level of fire on the bike is not the same as, for example, Brad Binder or Maverick Viñales or Pedro Acosta. The energy that young riders bring it’s insane’.
And it was precisely for this reason that the now KTM test rider decided to step aside, also thinking about what younger riders can offer manufacturers in terms of pure, hard performance:
– You need to step aside, let them go to the factory team, because they’re going to perform better than you.