What an incredible twist! Imagine transforming a leisurely shopping trip in New York into a blistering performance on the racetrack. That's precisely what Tech3's Pol Espargaro accomplished by becoming the fastest KTM rider during Friday's practice sessions for the Australian MotoGP, just days after enjoying time with his wife shopping in the vibrant streets of New York City.
Espargaro, a stalwart with eight podium finishes in MotoGP, was brought back by KTM to step in for the injured Maverick Vinales. This wasn't his first time filling such a position, as he previously filled the role during races in Brno and Austria.
However, the tracks he faced in those instances offered various levels of familiarity—Brno was a returning venue while Balaton Park was completely new to the championship. Now, stepping into the famed Phillip Island circuit, Espargaro hadn't actually ridden the RC16 motorcycle since achieving eighth place in Hungary two months prior. He humorously pointed out the challenge of jumping back into high-stakes racing at Phillip Island, a track known for its thrilling complexities.
"This is definitely not a place to come and relax!" Espargaro remarked, emphasizing the adrenaline rush that comes with racing at such an intense venue. "Your adrenaline skyrockets, and you have to hit the ground running right from the start."
And that’s exactly what he did. During the morning practice session, Espargaro impressively finished just 0.757 seconds behind the session leader and a mere 0.019 seconds behind his Tech3 teammate, Enea Bastianini.
Typically, time trials present significant challenges for test riders, who seldom get the opportunity to push their limits on fresh tires with low fuel loads. However, Espargaro showcased remarkable skill in the afternoon session, breaking previous lap records and securing eighth place with a remarkable time that was just 0.562 seconds off Marco Bezzecchi from Aprilia.
Following Espargaro in the rankings were fellow KTM riders Pedro Acosta in tenth place, Brad Binder in twelfth, and Enea Bastianini, who unfortunately found himself in the 20th position.
"I’m genuinely surprised by my speed today; I wasn’t expecting to perform this well!" Espargaro confessed, reflecting on the abrupt transition from a leisurely shopping trip to the competitive world of MotoGP.
"Just a few days ago, I was enjoying a fun outing in New York, and now here I am competing in Q2 at the Australian GP. How exciting is that!
"The bike feels fantastic; everything is operating smoothly, and I can manage all the necessary parameters. Even under pressure, we are keeping mistakes to a minimum, so I couldn’t be happier with the results!
"I managed to put in a great lap today—though I may not replicate it perfectly again—everything’s going well, and I’m grateful for the support from my Tech3 team. Let’s hope we maintain this momentum for tomorrow."
Bastianini also took a moment to commend his teammate. "Kudos to Pol, he has done an exemplary job today!" he remarked.
"On my end, the day proved challenging. Coming into Australia, I was aware that I might face difficulties due to the fast corners which I struggled with at Mandalika, and the windy conditions here only seem to amplify those challenges.
"Clearly, there’s a considerable amount of work ahead of us since we are not yet in a competitive position. At the moment, we are somewhat adrift with a rather negative bike feel, so our aim is to identify a way to regain our competitiveness as quickly as possible."
Espargaro is now set to start no worse than twelfth on the grid for the upcoming race, while Bastianini must battle through Saturday morning’s Qualifying 1 session. Other stand-in riders, Lorenzo Savadori from Aprilia and Ducati’s Michele Pirro, landed in the 19th and 21st positions, respectively.
