Without a doubt, the pilots are made of another paste. Just over two months have passed since his terrifying accident at the Portuguese GP and Pol Espargaró is already thinking about his next race. In fact, he is ambitious and, while he continues to be fully involved in his recovery, the GasGas pilot sets an objective that surprises everyone and everyone: the Italian GP this weekend, at Mugello. He was seen training on a motorcycle at the Motorland Aragón track, but a new medical review has cut short his mission, at least for the moment. As his team, GasGas, has reported, Pol is close to returning to MotoGP and, although he put all his motivation into the first race of this triplet, a “small edema around his vertebrae that needs treatment” forces him to wait a few more days. His return will have to wait, although he will try again next week for the German GP at Sachsenring.
“I really wanted to get back on the bike but, as I said from the beginning, the final decision would be made for me by the doctors and they asked me to wait a few more days. My original plan was to come back for one of these next three races before the summer break and that’s still the idea. The most important thing is to be physically prepared, and this call means that I have a few more days to continue working at home and arrive in the best possible shape and as soon as possible.. I feel very good and I am very motivated. I hope to see the team and the entire sports world, and surely the fans, as soon as I can”, explains the Spaniard in his team’s statement, who also announces that Jonas Folger will continue to be chosen to occupy his place, accompanying to Augusto Fernandez.
Despite the fact that Pol confessed that he had thought about withdrawing after being aware of the magnitude of his accident, it took just a few days for his mentality to change drastically. “I thought about quitting” He admitted DAZN before Le Mans, although he was already aware that he would try to reduce recovery times as much as possible to return to competition before the summer break. And, since it will not be able to be in Italy, he will continue preparing himself physically for the next appointment. “If it can’t be there, I’ll try to be in the second race (Sachsenring, June 18) or in the third (Assen, June 25) of this triplet. But the important thing is to recover as much as possible from his back injury. He will have two more chances to fulfill his goal, but he is unable to hide the tremendous desire he has to get back on the bike: “It’s why I get up every day, it’s my fuel. Seeing the KTMs work is what also makes me want to come back.”
“I suffered for my life”
Double jaw fracture, ear injury, cervical fracture that triggered a neuronal problem with nerve involvement, two rib fractures, three vertebrae… and still looking forward to going back. Fortunately, Espargaró admits to being “in a privileged situation” with “very little pain, almost nothing” that allows him to face the days naturally and, therefore, return to training sessions that bring him closer to his return with GasGas. He lost between eight or nine kilos by having to keep his jaw completely closed due to his fracture and, although “really in the ICU he was not very aware”, he confesses that he was afraid. “I suffered for my life the first few days.” reveals, while those around him were aware of the seriousness of the situation. “I saw them suffer,” adds the Spaniard, now fully capable of speaking, smiling or eating normally. All that remains is to take the step that will put him back in the paddock of MotoGP. And that is only a matter of time.