‘One or two’ wild-cards for Pol Espargaro in MotoGP 2024
"[Pol] wants to be there as a test rider, maybe doing one or two wild-cards but especially giving advice to the young riders"
KTM are eligible for six wild-cards during the 2024 MotoGP campaign under the revised concessions rules, but new test rider Pol Espargaro appears to only be planning ‘one or two’.
Espargaro, badly injured at the start of last season, has stepped down from full-time racing to allow rising star Pedro Acosta to make his MotoGP debut with GASGAS Tech3 this season.
The 32-year-old will thus join Dani Pedrosa in development duties for the RC16.
But during today’s GASGAS launch motorsport director Pit Beirer suggested Espargaro’s main role will be as a mentor for the factory’s young talents, Acosta and Augusto Fernandez.
“When we founded the GASGAS Factory Racing team [in 2023], it was clear that Pol comes onboard as the captain of the project and losing him as a rider a little bit too early was a difficult moment,” Beirer said.
“But now having him committed to the team; he said it clearly, he wants to be there as a test rider, maybe doing one or two wild-cards but especially giving advice to the young riders:
“I mean what is better than havin such a great motorcycle racer like that on your side making the team stronger?"
Teenage star Acosta admitted it felt a bit daunting to have big names like Pedrosa and Espargaro in his corner as he adapts to the premier-class.
“At the end having for sure Dani and Pol, that are guys that really know how is the MotoGP class and also how is the KTM bike, will help a lot,” Acosta said.
“And having these guys so close to us, like I saw in Valencia, will be so nice to try and improve as fast as possible.
“It’s true that – again – it won’t be easy to have these big names around me...but we will try.”
If Espargaro only takes part in a couple of wild-cards it would open the door for 31-time MotoGP winner Pedrosa, who finished a fraction from the podium at Misano last year, to make more race appearances in 2024.
"We are going to share the wild-cards. We don't have a fixed plan yet [to use all six], but there are some tracks where we are interested, where we know Dani should do a wild-card there. And Pol is for sure is going to do some wild-cards," Beirer confirmed.
