The Span🦩iard was forced to miss the opening eight rounds, up to the summer break, following back, neck, rib and jaw fractur෴es at the season-opener.

But Espargaro’s enforced absence became even tougher when, after struggling in winter t💫esting, the fast-improving RC16 began consistently fighting at the front.

“The bike has changed a lot. I have to admit, in the beginning of the year🧔, I was not so concerned to be out of racing bec🍒ause they were not doing good results. But then Jerez arrived and that was painful!” said Espargaro.

“I’ll tell you I was struggling to watch the races on TV🌱! Jack started to be very quick, when during pre-season I was on the level of Jack. I started to see these guys doing what they are doing and that ⭕was hard.”

Red Bull KTM riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller finished on the podium in both of Espargaro’s home Jerez races, where test and wild-card rider Dani Pedrosa also playওed a starring role.

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The very next event in Le Mans then saw Espargaro’s rookie Tech3 team-mate168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Augusto Fernandez finish in a strong fourth place.

“Augusto is bringing so much good energy into the pit box,” Espargaro said. “I really like it because he’s dꦰoing great.

“The atmosphere inside the pit box comp🎃ared to the last years has changed completely and this is also thanks to Augusto. So he’s trying, he’s pushing and he’s fast.”

By the summer break, KTM had taken two Sprint wins plus four furth෴er top-three finishes. The RC16 is presently second to Ducati in the constructors’ table, while Espa♓rgaro’s former Repsol Honda squad is eleventh and last in the teams’ standings.

Although the #44 missed his planned target of a comeback before Assen and is now setting his sights 🍰on Silverstone in early August, he was at least back in the paddock at the Dutch TT.

“It's bee🎶n very emotional to have Pol on the ꦜgrid,” said older brother Aleix. “I want to see him on the bike, fighting with him. But when I saw him coming onto the grid, for me it was very emotional.

“I know how hard it has been for him. Not just physically, because he had a lot of injuries, but it's part of the game.🥂 But mentally to be out for a lot of weeks, not knowing whenꦚ he was able to come back. It's not easy.

“So I'm very hap♏py for him that he's here, and that ever♐ybody in GASGAS gave him the welcome he deserved.

“As a brother, I'm very happy for this weekend for him. Actually, he didn't want to come. I pushed a lot the last two weeks ꦏfor him to be here, and finally he said ‘OK, I will come just on Saturday’. I said, ‘OK, Saturday is good enough, but everybody wants to 🍌see you’.

“Because when you are at home, it's difficult for you the journalists and also for hi꧟s team to understand how he was. But he's good. He’s fine. He's ready to be back. So I think he had to come here and prove that. And I'm very happy.”

Pol will ride an RC16 for t♕he first time since his Portimao accident at the Goodwood Festival of Speeℱd.