P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Pol Espargaro feels like he has reached “the beginning of the end” in MotoGP
The 2013 Moto2 world champion, who has been competing in MotoGP since 2014, has had a career filled with various teams such as Tech3 Yamaha, KTM, Honda, and now returning to the KTM-backed Tech3 GasGas squad for 2023. Despite his successes, a serious injury during practice for the Portuguese GP sidelined Espargaro until August, resulting in a struggle to regain full fitness and only scoring 15 points. He has been replaced by Pedro Acosta at Tech3 and will transition into a test rider role with KTM, allowing him to participate in a maximum of six wildcards. Despite finishing in the points at Valencia after a crash and experiencing a range of emotions, Espargaro admits that it feels like the end of a chapter in his career. He acknowledges that his racing will be different as he continues to recover from his injury, and hopes to be competitive in the future. Some muscles are still at 40% effectiveness following the Portugal accident, and it could take well over a year to fully recover. Although Honda approached Espargaro to be Marc Marquez’s replacement in 2024, he decided to remain with KTM as a test rider.
