Published: 26 Aug 2024
Pol Espargaro Eager for More - "Two MotoGP Wildcards Not a Lot"
After a solid MotoGP wildcard entry at the Red Bull Ríng, KTM test rider Pol Espargaro would like to get more race time on the RC-16 in 2024.
As the preparations for the 2024 MotoGP season ramped up in February, KTM Team Manager Francesco Guidotti announced that the Austrian manufacturer would not utilize all the wildcard opportunities allowed by the regulations.
“We have the potential to use six wildcards, but six is really a lot,” Guidotti stated during the KTM team presentation, referencing the concessions available for the 2024 season.
With 11 of the 20 race weekends completed, KTM has so far deployed three of their six available MotoGP wildcard entries.
Dani Pedrosa took the spot at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, while Pol Espargaró raced as the wildcard at both the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello and the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg.
Espargaró rode an heavily upgraded version of the RC16 at Spielberg, with noticeable changes to the exhaust and a serrated aero element on the swingarm.
Despite these enhancements, which helped him score points in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, Espargaró had secretly hoped for even better results after strong test sessions prior to the race.
Hoping for another opportunity before the season’s end, Espargaró remarked, “Two wildcard entries aren’t much.” He explained that “it’s natural to always want more,” expressing his desire to race more frequently to gain additional experience.
“So much changes from one year to the next,” the KTM test rider noted, referring not only to technology but also to the racing styles of his MotoGP competitors. “They ride differently – sometimes more aggressively, sometimes less. You can only understand that by racing yourself.”
Reflecting on the Spielberg weekend, Espargaró cited Alex Marquez as an example: “During testing, I don’t have to overtake anyone. If I had known that Alex Marquez would fade towards the end of the race after such a strong start, I would have been more patient initially and more aggressive at the finish.”
In 2023, KTM used their final wildcard of the season at the San Marino Grand Prix in Misano, a popular choice due to the traditional Monday test that follows the race weekend.
Dani Pedrosa rode the additional RC16 at that event. Whether Pedrosa will be selected again this year or if the increasingly eager Espargaró will get the nod remains to be seen.
