Honda confirms that Aleix Espargaro will take on the role of HRC test rider in the future – Stefan Bradl will also remain with the test team
Honda is strengthening for the future and upgrading the MotoGP test team: On Tuesday after the Grand Prix weekend in Assen (Netherlands), the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer confirmed that Aleix Espargaro will take on the role of HRC test rider in the future.
“I’m really excited about this new chapter in my career,” commented Espargaro. “I feel honored to support HRC as a test rider and team player. I will do my best to help them find their way back to the top.”
The signing of the 34-year-old Spaniard comes as no surprise. It was already leaked at the beginning of June that Aleix Espargaro would be moving from Aprilia to Honda at the end of the year to take over the test rider job.
Espargaro’s work over the past few years has made a significant contribution to Aprilia’s development from MotoGP bottom of the table to a winner. After the 2016 MotoGP season, the Spaniard switched from Suzuki to Aprilia and experienced difficult times at the beginning
His strong will and sheer endless motivation helped Aprilia step by step towards the top. In the 2021 season, Espargaro secured the first podium for the project. A year later, he celebrated his first MotoGP victory with Aprilia.
Espargaro’s expertise is urgently needed at Honda. Since the 2020 MotoGP season, the RC213V project has practically been in free fall. At the last MotoGP weekend in Assen, the Honda factory riders were over two seconds behind at times
Honda is bottom of the manufacturers’ standings. The Repsol Honda team, which is used to success, is in last place among the teams.
The signing of Aleix Espargaro does not mean that Stefan Bradl will lose his job. The German will continue to support Honda in testing, but with Espargaro he will have a new colleague in the test team
