Espargaro: Improving Saturday performance remains one of my major goals

Repsol Honda rider Pol Espargaro goes into the first of four Spanish home races included on the MotoGP calendar this weekend at Jerez, with improved qualifying performance being one of the ‘major’ points of emphasis. 

The Spanish rider has impressed during long run simulations whether that be in testing or on race weekends, however, extracting pure performance in time attack situations has been a more difficult proposition, and left Espargaro trying to recover points from 12th, 14th and 15th, through the opening three races of 2021. 

Espargaro currently sits 13th - one place above team-mate Marc Marquez in the championship standings following an unfortunate Portimao race, where mechanical issues caused the 29 year-old to retire after just five laps.

With all that said, the main aim for Espargaro this weekend is clear: "Improving our Saturday performance remains one of my major goals, if we get this right then we can show our true potential on Sunday," said Espargaro.  

"Jerez is a circuit we all know very well but it will be my first time there on the Honda. Stefan has been doing a lot of riding there with the Test Team, so we will have some good data to look at before the weekend and the work begins. 

"We were unlucky in Portugal, now we reset and come at this new weekend ready to deliver on what we know our potential is. 

"It’s a shame not to have all the fans track-side, racing in Spain is always special and especially in Jerez there’s an incredible atmosphere normally."