Puig: Aleix Espargaro “can help us understand different possibilities”

Rumoured since his retirement announcement in Catalunya, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro has been officially confirmed as a Honda MotoGP test rider for 2025.

Espargaro, who will join existing HRC development rider Stefan Bradl, made his MotoGP debut back in 2009 and has since raced Ducati, ART, Forward Yamaha, Suzuki and Aprilia machinery.

A late bloomer, Espargaro took his first podium in 2014 but had to wait until 2021 for his second. The Spaniard followed it up with Aprilia's first MotoGP victory the following year and has so far won three MotoGPs on the RS-GP.

“Aleix decided to retire, so we thought of course he's a very fast rider, still. And he has experience,” HRC team manager Alberto Puig told MotoGP.com, when asked about Espargaro’s test rider attributes.

“He's been racing for many manufacturers and he's not that young which means he has good experience and understanding of a MotoGP machine,”

“He's clearly fast. He’s fit. So we think he can help us to understand different possibilities, coming from another manufacturer.

“But it’s also true that nowadays with all the test program that we have, if you only have one test rider like Stefan, sometimes it's a massive load of work for one guy.

“So we thought it was a good opportunity with him retiring, And we’ve know Aleix for a long time. I'm sure he will be very cooperative and I think he's very happy to join us.”

Espargaro has suggested he will take part in at least one race as a wild-card next season, but Puig said: “It's early to say, but it could be possible.”

The revised concessions system introduced this year allows Honda and Yamaha extra testing opportunities and wild-cards, until they progress out of the lowest D ranking.