The Tech3 GASGAS rider returned at the British MotoGP at Silverstone having been sidelined since the opening Friday of the 2023 seaso𓂃n when he crashed badly in Portimao.

After months recovering, Espargaro admitted the challenges of climbing back onto a MotoGP bike last Friday, his first ses𝓰sion since the crash.

“It was a mix of feelings. I had so much fun. But also, I was so stressed,” h🌸e said.

“[Friday] morning, mentally I was not ready. Everything was comiꦺng way too fast.

“I had a wheelie, the braking, different tyres…

“I took the sof🐲t tyre f🦩or many laps just to understand the bike.

“For sure, I w𓃲ant more. It’s a matter of passion. But I don’t want to crash.”

Did he🌱 have bad memories of his last time in a MotoGP session, when he crashed in Portimao?

“Y༺es, esp𓆏ecially in the out-lap. The out-lap was killing,” he said.

“I was a little bit afraid. I took it more carefully than normal, especially wi✱th a hard rear tyre.

“We saw a huge crash of Marco Bezzecchi - he was just in front of 🔥me and it was a reminder to be careful, that this can happen to me as well.

“I took it easy out of the pit box. Then the first lap I pushed more. The🌠n I was going for it.

“I was super-stressed.”

Espa♒rgaro suffered a broken jaw plus serious back a🧔nd rib injuries.

Despite months of rehab, he felt a lack of fitness when handling t🎃he unrivalled power of a MotoGP machine.

“This is another thing, you can be fit in the mirror, good for pictures🧸 in the summer, but when you jump on these bikes you realise how hard everything is!

“I am missing a lot of power.

“Especially at high speeds and changing directioဣns. That is when you feel that you are not fit enough, in the chest.

“Everything needs to be improved.

“I have been riding other bikes but they are nothing like MotoGP bikes! It𒆙 will come.”

Espargaro finished 16th in the sprint race at Silverstone (his first🎶 time competing in that format).

He then came 12th in the grand prix, a place behind his tea🐬mmate Augusto Fernandez.