Emilia-Romagna MotoGP: P2 'a pain release’ after ‘huge decision' to join Honda

Pol Espargaro has described his first MotoGP podium with Repsol Honda as ‘a pain release’, following a big gamble to leave KTM for the Japanese manufacturer.
Pol Espargaro, MotoGP race, Emilia-Romagna MotoGP 24 October 2021
Pol Espargaro, MotoGP race, Emilia-Romagna MotoGP 24 October 2021
© Gold and Goose

Following his first MotoGP podium as a Repsol Honda rider during last weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Pol Espargaro has ✨two key areas in mind to make his second place finish a more consistent trend. 

The Spaniard finished second behind te�ജ�am-mate Marc Marquez, which not only secured him a first podium at Honda, but the team’s first 1-2 in over five years. 

The decision to leave KTM at the end of 2020 - h🎀is most successful season with the Austrian manufacturer, looked somewhat like a mistake for much of t💖his season. 

However, recenꦺt improvements at Silverstone, both Misano rounds and last month’s two-day test (same track), have seen Espargaro turn a corner.

Speaking after his first podium of the year, Espargaro said: "To just break this run without podiumsꦉ and for Repsol Honda is a pain release.꧙ 

"I took a huge decision in my c🐷areer last year and honestly, everyone saw it. I was struggling a lot during the whole year." 

With the 30 year-old now getting a taste for the podium again, iඣt’s a position he’s aiming to be in more often🐼 than not.

But for that to happen, improvements reg𒊎arding tyre selection and overtaking with a full fuel tank will𓆏 need to take place according to Espargaro.

"There are two things here, the first is that I’m not sure my rear tyre choice in the first one was the proper one. In the first race here in Misano I chose the medium rear which allows me to stop the bike in a better way; but today I was struggling in that place," ꩵadded Espargaro. 

"I wa🐟s not comfortable on the entry to the corners because the rear was sliding too much which was the same problem I had 💟on the first weekend in Misano. 

"And the second thing is that Marc [Marquez] is super good on the first la🥃ps with a full tank of fuel and overtaking riders. This is just something I need to learn with more experience on this bike. ꦇ;

"These two things; tyre choices and for sure the ✃time attack in the fi෴rst laps is something I need to work on."

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