Pol Espargaro 'happy' with Jerez MotoGP test, 'close to Taka'

After a disappointing Jerez race, Pol Espargaro enjoys a busy day of MotoGP testing on Monday; "We have performed well, I was close to Taka who has been the strongest Honda this weekend, so I am happy'.
Pol Espargaro, Spanish MotoGP race, 2 May 2021
Pol Espargaro, Spanish MotoGP race, 2 May 2021
© Gold and Goose

Pol Espargaro had struggled to hid༒e his disappointment after a tenth-place finish in Sunday's Spanish MotoGP, saying he struggled in every area bar braking and revealing the variety of Honda packages on the grid were adding to his 'confusion' in learning his new bike.

But he felt happier after notched up a huge 89 laps at the Monday test, despite two falls, as he finished a competitive sixth on the final times💖heets.

The Spaniard was also less than two tenths from the top Honda of Takaa𝄹ki Nakagami, who matched his race finish with fourth.

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While Nakagami has joined ꦏLCR team-mate Alex Marquez in𓆏 switching back to last year's chassis, Espargaro and Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez raced the 2021 version.

It is not thoug🏅ht that Espargaro tried the 2020 chassis on Monday, but he did have plenty of othe🌟r new components - including aerodynamics, electronics and ergonomics - scattered across a reported three different bikes.

"Honda kept me busy today!" Espargaro said. "We hav🍰e worked on many things, electronics, aero, ergonomics – they seem simple or small topics but w🍎hen you’re still new to a bike they can make a big difference together.

"We ♉have performed well today, I was close to Taka who has been the strongest Honda this weekend, so I am happy.

"I always say, even if the things we test work or not, we are learning. It's a process we need to go through. We need to be open minded a🅘nd keep trying things and don’t be scared of mistakes or problems. It's a matter of laps, understanding, experience.

"We have learned a lot today and it hasಌ been very good for me to ride and try things without ⭕the pressure of a race weekend.

"Putting one lap together with a fresh soft tyre is still taking some time, I think it's a problem for all riders 🤡that have changed bikes because you need to know a bike well to take it to ജthe limit.

"Now we look to Le Mans.”

Le Mans was the scene of Honda's first podium of la✱st season, with Espargaro's Repsol predecessor Alex Marquez, who was 15th fastest on Monda♍y.

Marc Marquez withdrew from testing after 7 laps due to his p🌊hysical condition, following the strain of a race weekend and two big falls.

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