The MotoGP Italian Grand Prix is taking place this upcoming weekend and is marked by a long-awaited return – that of Pol Espargaró. At the end of last season, the rider retired from full-time racing, becoming a test rider for KTM. Thanks to this role, he will now make a sporadic comeback as a wildcard in Mugello.
This is Espargaró’s first participation since becoming a test rider, and the second wildcard of the season for the Austrian manufacturer – following Dani Pedrosa’s wildcard at the Spanish GP.
Having overcome the severe injuries that affected him in 2023, the #44 has already admitted that he feels ‘more like «his old self’. His performance will be another point of interest in the Italian GP, where the RC16 is expected to once again be a bike capable of competing at least in the top five.
On a personal level, Espargaró recorded his best result at Mugello in 2014, finishing fifth in his rookie MotoGP year. In the lower categories, he had three podium finishes at the Tuscan circuit – second in 2012 (Moto2) and third in 2008 and 2010 (125cc).