KTM can have six wildcards in the 2024 MotoGP season, wishing to split them between two of its test riders – Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaró. Jonas Folger doesn’t seem to be in equation, at least for now according to Motorsports director Pit Beirer.
The Austrian emphasized that there isn’t the possibility of Espargaró doing the six wildcards: ‘We would like to be quite flexible to use the wildcards when it makes sense. Of course there was talk that we would give all the six wildcards to Pol, but that was never agreed because it just needs to make sense to the project. Of course it also took a while for Pol to accept the change and see his new role. But things have changed already a lot on his side. Once you take the pressure out of your shoulders from being a MotoGP rider next week, next week, next week and you can make that little step back, you also see things differently’.
According to Beirer, for now there isn’t a wildcards program set, stressing the desired flexibility: ‘We don’t even have a plan for six wildcards. There are some tracks where it will be interesting, for sure Dani should do a wildcard there and for sure Pol will do some wildcards because it’s just great for the testing process, the race tyres you get and having the bike together with other race guys. But clearly it will not be six wildcards for Pol. It will be a share, I feel more between Pol and Dani than Jonas. But whatever makes sense in the right moment, it might change, so there isn’t a fixed master plan’.