Official: Pol Espargaro back in MotoGP action for Tech3
Pol Espargaro back on the MotoGP grid for Australia and Malaysia.
KTM has officially confirmed that test rider Pol Espargaro will return to action in place of the injured Maverick Vinales for the Australian and Malaysian MotoGPs.
Vinales has stepped back from racing after struggling with his healing left shoulder, injured at the Sachsenring, during the past four rounds.
Espargaro has already made two appearances in place of Vinales, at Brno and Balaton Park, where he took the RC16 to a best of eighth place.
“As I said in my previous Grand Prix appearances, having to do it because a team-mate is injured is not something I particularly like,” Espargaro said.
“I know that Maverick has made a huge effort to keep racing, so the first thing I want to say is that I hope this absence helps him to speed up his recovery and that he can come back as soon as possible, because we need him at KTM.
“I’m returning to my Tech3 family and, as in Brno and Balaton Park, with the goal of helping the project as much as I can and making the most of these weekends to make progress with our bike and support the other riders.
“Phillip Island is a circuit I really like, although it’s been a while since I last rode there. As always, I’ll try to give my best to build a productive weekend for everybody.”
Red Bull KTM factory team manager Aki Ajo stressed that Vinales’ recovery is ‘progressing well’ but that he simply needs more time.
“Maverick’s recovery was progressing well but the fact that we’ve had a few GPs in such a tight period means he reached a limit," Ajo said.
“It’s quite normal that he needs more recovery time away from the bike after a big effort to take part in recent events.
“We hope he can return again as soon as he can and when he feels he can compete more like the Maverick we saw in the first half of the season.
“In the meantime, we could not wish for a better rider or character than Pol to be a replacement for Maverick and join us all on the grid.”
After Sepang, the 2025 season concludes with back-to-back rounds at Portimao and Valencia.
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