RideFast Aug2020

PADDOCK NEWS
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MARQUEZ SETS ESPARGARO
PODIUM TARGET AS HRC TEAMMATE
Repsol Honda’s reigning MotoGP
champion Marc Marquez has
suggested Pol Espargaro will have
to be a podium finisher when he
joins Honda Racing Corporation
(HRC) in 2021, replacing rookie
brother Alex Marquez in the
factory organisation.
With Alex shifting across to the
LCR Honda team as part of a
factory contract extension in place
of Cal Crutchlow next year, Marc
Marquez welcomed the arrival of
Espargaro from KTM to Honda,
but has set high expectations for
him to avoid ‘a disaster’.
“I always respect Honda’s decision
because they try to choose the
best for the team and the riders,”
Marquez commented. “Next year
I will have a different teammate,
last year I had a different
teammate but, of course, the
special moment that we had in
Valencia with Jorge [Lorenzo],
Honda was looking for the best
rider available – the Moto2 world
champion, Alex.
“This year he’s in the Repsol Honda
team, but next year in LCR. That’s
a good move for him because
being in a Repsol Honda team
means being on the podium. For
a normal rookie rider the normal
step is to start with a team like
LCR and good for him that he’ll get
all the support from HRC.
“And I’m happy to share the
team with Pol next year. It will
be interesting to see the level
of KTM and Honda and being in
the Repsol Honda team means
being on the podium. If not, it’s a
disaster, so I’m happy with the
situation.
“Cal gives a lot of input to Honda
and HRC. He’s been in the HRC
family for many years with all
the official support. It’s Honda’s
decision, but it’s always sad when
you see somebody moving from
the team but in this case it’s my
brother, so it’s okay.”
Espargaro won the 2013 Moto2
World Championship after finishing
runner-up to Marc Marquez the
previous year, but has one single
podium in the premier class that
he picked up in Valencia at the
end of 2018. His best finish in the
MotoGP standings was eighth with
Yamaha’s satellite effort in 2016,
prior to transferring to the works
KTM project in 2017.
“It’s been a long confinement with
a lot of up and downs, quite big
decisions and a lot of emotions in
between,” Espargaro explained. “In
the end, to ride against or with the
best rider currently on the grid, it’s
difficult to say no. And in a world
champion team and factory, it’s
difficult to say no.
“I’m 29 years old and, like
everyone, I want the maximum
from MotoGP. I think in the short
term to move in this factory is
going to be super-exciting, but at
the moment we are just at the
beginning of this year, so it’s time
to start racing and enjoy this last
year with KTM where I still think I
can do something very great.”
26 RIDEFAST MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020