Aleix Espargaro is confiden🦩t that his 2014🌄 MotoGP team change will result in the double CRT class champion riding the most competitive of the new Open class entries.

Espargaro negotiated an🧸 exit from Aspar in ordeඣr to join the new Forward Racing FTR Yamaha project, which features the M1 engine and chassis.

But with Aspar s💖witching from Aprilia to the new Production Honda shortly after Espargaro's Forward deal was completed, some - including the Spaniard himself - appeared to have doubts that he had made the right move.

Such concerns were removed when Espargaro finished the Valencia post-season test as the leading Open class rider, 0.479s ahead of the top Production Honda, ridden♊ by new Aspar signing and 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden.

Speaking to MotoGP.com, Espargaro said:

"I think at the first test in Valencia we saw the potential that the FTR-Yamaha has. I hope I am not mistaken, butꦛ the conclusion was that we were able to take our bike to an equal level with, and indeed exceed, that of the Honda.

"The Honda is basically a finished product, whereas we still have everything to do with ours, but our bike st📖ill went quicker than the Honda despite having done less laps; with this in mi🤪nd, I think we have more potential.

"Many people have told me♐ I am making a mistake in switching teams at this point and that the Honda will be better. Time wil𓆉l tell, but what I can say is that both the team and the bike are better than we expected."

Espargaro added that developing the new control ECU system - factory machines use their own software, but have less race fuel and engine changes - is the main area of focus at pre꧒sent.

Aleix's younger brother Pol, the reigning Moto2 world champion, will join MotoGP with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 next year. Colin Edwards has been retained by Forwar𝕴d to rides the other🦂 FTR-Yamaha.