What next for Pol Espargaro after losing his MotoGP seat?
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His 10-year run in the premier class has been brought to an end by KTM’s requirement to find a bike for its great new hope, Pedro Acosta.Acosta will ride alongside Augusto Fernandez for Tech3 GASGAS next season, it has been confirmed, with Jack Miller and Brad Binder continuing as the factory duo.Espargaro finds himself on the sidelines with no clarification of what his job will be.He was described as being “a prominent member of the MotoGP program on both sides of the pit wall” by Tech3 GASGAS when they confirmed their 2024 MotoGP rider line-up would not include him.Espargaro was “part of this joint-decision for both the short and long-term future”, the team claims, and will be “an important asset for supporting talented young athletes and maintaining the strength of the current racing set-up”.Will Pol Espargaro race in 2024?
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta had floated the idea of ‘substitute’ riders next season. The idea is that MotoGP’s 2024 calendar has expanded to 22 rounds, and 44 races including sprints.The increase in injuries this season (and Espargaro suffered the most serious himself) could open the door to a ‘substitute’ rider deputising for a team’s first-choice line-up, the idea goes.Extra wild cards may also be made available to give ‘substitute’ riders extra chances to race, it was theorised by the Dorna CEO.Jack Miller called the suggestion “shitty”.It remains an unconfirmed idea. Yet, Espargaro may now be hoping it comes to fruition.Should KTM, and every team, be given a generous handful of wild cards it could mean a rider who isn’t full-time, like Espargaro next year, could find themselves with several opportunities to race.Related Pol Espargaro sheds light on his future role after losing his MotoGP seat Official: Tech3 GASGAS confirm 2024 plans – and name the rider who will miss outAdd in the inevitable injuries and absences, and a sub rider could be a vital addition to each team.But KTM also have Dani Pedrosa within their ranks, so how they’d balance him with Espargaro when given a wild card could be a problem.Pedrosa has impressed massively when racing as a wild card this season, and does invaluable work testing the KTM on his outings too. KTM extended Pedrosa’s contract to keep him in 2024.Espargaro, aged 32, could find himself with ambassadorial duties for the manufacturer that he joined in 2017.Inevitably he will undertake some testing next year too.And perhaps, given his dreadful injuries this year, it may suit him to take a step back from MotoGP’s relentless competition.He has only competed at the past six rounds after suffering back, ribs and a jaw injury on the opening weekend in Portimao.A move to another MotoGP team for next season is out of the question.The only free seats are at Gresini Ducati (where Marc Marquez is set to go) and Repsol Honda (where Espargaro rode unsuccessfully in 2021 and 2022).KTM have ambitions plans to expand – in 2025, they intend on having six bikes on the grid, two extra opportunities for Espargaro to be restored to full-time status.But until then it seems his options are limited to accepting his bit-part role…
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