“I disappeared” - KTM star details “scary” Aragon MotoGP sprint moment
Pol Espargaro says it was “scary” to ride through Fabio Quartararo’s engine blow-up
KTM MotoGP stand-in Pol Espargaro says he “disappeared” when Fabio Quartararo’s engine blew up in the Aragon sprint, forcing him to brake on the back straight.
Pol Espargaro is back at Tech3 for the Aragon Grand Prix as Maverick Vinales continues to recover from an ongoing shoulder injury.
Starting 20th on the grid, Espargaro had to work his way through a chaotic start, after a crash for Luca Marini in front disrupted him.
He was also trailing Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo when his engine blew up on the back straight on lap five of 11, which led to a “scary” moment for the Tech3 KTM rider.
“Well, a lot of things happened,” he said about his race.
“You know, it's a typical sprint race where a lot of things happen.
“First laps, my start was super bad. Then the crash of [Luca] Marini in front - I lost the small gap I had in front of the others.
“I lost, I think, a couple of positions. Then I went wide.
“Then Fabio blew the engine in the middle of the straight just in front of me, and I disappeared.
“I didn't know if I was in the corner or straight. I needed to shut the throttle completely in the middle of the straight.
“It was scary because you don't know what's next, if there is a rider in front.
“So, I just shut the… even, I think actually I braked a little bit.
“So in three laps I lost like three seconds, which is pretty a lot. And then I lost the guys. I lost the tow, and I was completely alone for the last laps.”
Espargaro was 17th at the chequered flag, 23.160s from the lead, but feels he could have been much closer to fellow KTM riders Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini in 15th and 14th.
“I mean, considering my team-mates, I think I would be, like, they finished at 16 seconds [from the lead]; I think I would be about 20 without the problems.
“So, four seconds, three seconds off them, which is not really bad.
“But still, I'm not pleased with this. I would like to follow them and to be with them all the race. That would be great.”
