For the past year, Pol Espargaro has turned into a mere MotoGP spectator and, despite the fact that his roles as a KTM test rider and one-time wild card still allow him to enjoy the scene from the inside, his gaze has become neutral and detached, and his words honest enough to acknowledge that he can no longer do much in directly confronting the new generation of riders.
"I 'm at a time in life when I feel comfortable," he confessed in an interview with Crashnet.
"Physically, I'm in good shape, I comment on GPs for TV, explaining to viewers what's going, since today's bikes are complicated in terms of aerodynamics and electronics while, when I'm with the test team, I listen to what they say.
I still miss racing because you get a great feeling when you get a good result."
A 10th place finish last September in the first round affected by rain at Misano brought back the Spanish rider's former hunger for adrenaline.
"It was an incredible thrill, especially considering how high the current level is. I think I'll miss it even when I'm sixty or seventy years old," he said.
Clearly, not being in the business anymore has made him less explosive.
"My fire on the bike is no longer the same as Binder's, Vinales' or Acosta's. The energy these guys have is crazy.
So, takinf a step back is the right thing to do, since it's clear that their performance will be better," he later admitted.
Building a family in the last years of his career changed his life and altered his approach to racing to the point of retirement.
"After the accident in 2023, I realized that it was no longer just about me. I have two little girls and a wife.
Being home and not being able to pick up my daughters because of the pain was bad. I made room for Pedro and look what he was able to do. It's magnificent," he said.
However, in 2025, we'll be seeing him among the ranks of the Austrian brand, which has been in the news for its well-known economic difficulties, and in which Vinales will be joining Bastianini.
"Maverick is full of passion and, when he's at the limit, he's fantastic. Enea is the opposite. He's more controlled and you never know what's going to happen.
It's great to work with two characters like them, with so much experience. The Iberian has won with every bike he's ridden, and I hope he can fight for the title.
The Italian has done well in the last two seasons, proving to be as solid in Sprints as in GPs. They're different and come from two different Italian bikes.
There are pros and cons, so we'll have to keep the former and improve the latter," the 33-year-old finally concluded.
