Pol Espargaro with KTM Tech3 again, this time for the Austrian GP. Maverick Vinales’ absence continues to be extended.
Just last Thursday at Misano, Pol Espargaro spoke about the undeniable difficulties of constantly switching between the 1000 and the 850. He also hinted at the real possibility that he would contest the Austrian GP—the much-anticipated KTM home event—in place of Maverick Vinales. Today comes the confirmation: the Spanish test rider will once again wear Tech3 colors and ride the KTM RC16 1000 at Spielberg, right after wrapping up the San Marino GP and a midweek test with the new 850. The factory rider, meanwhile, remains sidelined due to well-known shoulder issues, a very long absence after confirming his (stormy) departure from KTM and from MotoGP in general at the end of 2026...
The KTM Tech3 statement
As KTM’s official test rider and reserve rider, Espargaró will return to racing in MotoGP, aiming to wave the orange flag in front of the Austrian crowd, contesting his fourth consecutive race with the team this season.
Espargaró delivered an outstanding qualifying performance in the previous round at San Marino, a clear sign of the progress made since his return to the Tech3 garage.
After replacing Viñales at Silverstone, Aragón, and Misano, the Spaniard arrives at KTM’s home event with valuable race mileage under his belt, while Tech3 remains confident that Viñales will be fit to return when the championship heads overseas to Japan.
The team manager’s comment
Nicolas Goyon: “Having Pol with us for the home race in Austria is very important. Every time he gets back on the bike he seems more comfortable and competitive, and Misano was another positive step forward. We know we can count on his experience and professionalism and we’re looking forward to seeing him race in front of our orange fanbase this weekend. At the same time, our priority remains supporting Maverick’s recovery and we hope to have him back with us as soon as possible.”
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