With Alex Marquez already out the door at Honda, it appears Espargaro cou꧑ld be the next MotoGP rider on⛦ the move with a return to KTM. 

Before joining Honda, Espargaro was evolvin👍g into a rider cap🎉able of challenging for race wins and at times looked like a championship contender during the 2020 season. 

Yes, Espargaro was also in contentionꦓ to win this year🌊’s season opener in Qatar, while he also claimed a brilliant pole at Silverstone last season, but moments like that have been few and far between since joining Repsol Honda. 

Having spent four seasons with KTM (2017-20) - claimed six podiums during the time, five of which came in 2020 - Espargaro’ꦕs move to Honda is one that in ♛hindsight looks to have been a mistake.

Although the last two seasons have been a struggle for KTM as well, a return to t⛦🍸he Austrian manufacturer could be just what Espargaro needs in order to re-find his form. 

Espargaro in contention to replace MotoGP rookie Raul Fernandez

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With it looking more and more 🍰likely that Fernandez will leave the team, Espargaro appears to be the favourite to replac🐈e the Spaniard.

With the factory team already 🌱set for 2023, the focus for KTM is now on its Tech 3 rides as Remy Gardner is also in the running to stay with the tea𓃲m. 

Asked ܫwhether he’s trying to sign Espargaro, Tech 3 Team Manager Poncharal told BT Sport: "Might be. But I have heard a few names. Every🎉 manufacturer is potentially a winner. They are all competitive. 

"The KTM organisation are preparing the next two years and they want to take🌊 the next step. You need youth and experience, and people who believe ꦫin the project.

"Clear🔯ly Pol is someone who left an incredible memory because, from day one, he was in this 🐓project. He is someone who, in each lap, is pushing. 

"The leader of the championship is Fabio Quartararo but, if you look at what Pol is doing, there is not one lap where 🌃he is two or three seconds off the💟 pace. 

"This is something that is helping the whole project. Clearly Pol is som♒ebody who could be a big asset to us. He left. He is a bit nostalgic for what he left. So everything is possible."

When the question wa🥂s posed to Poncharal about Espargaro being first choice, he said: "He is in a good position in the list."