Angry Aleix Espargaro on Pol's bad news: "Better I don’t say what I think..."

But Aleix is far less content with the situation ‘as a member of this paddock’.

In other words, that a rider with a contract for next season has lost his full-time race seat.

KTM faced a situation where five riders were signed for next year, with the addition of Moto2 title leader Pedro Acosta, but only four bikes are available.

A request to run a fifth RC16 was turned down by Dorna and Pol Espargaro will now step back to allow Acosta to take his place at GASGAS Tech3.

“I’m happy for [Pol] because he will be safe next year and can spend more time at home with his family,” said factory Aprilia rider Aleix.

“I expected to see him a bit worse, and I see him happy.

“So I am happy as his brother, but as a member of this paddock it is better that I do not say what I think.”

• Official: Marc Marquez joins Gresini Ducati

The other major rider move confirmed this week was Marc Marquez’s switch to Gresini Ducati.

While acknowledging ‘you never know’ what can happen, Aleix Espargaro says all the ingredients are in place for the #93 to be back at the top.

“I said when Marc was winning [up until 2019] that he could win for the next 20 years but then look at the mess with the [arm] injury, with the improvement of the Italian brands and not the Japanese brands... Everything can happen.

“[But] he is one of the most, if not the most, talented riders ever. So take the best bike now, put him together with it, and you’ll see [what happens]…”