Only a few days ago, these perspectives seemed to be taken from the anticipation novel. In this case, 2020 would be Pol Espargaró’s fourth and last season at KTM before joining Marc Marquez in the Repsol Honda team, taking his own brother Alex there. Who hasn’t raced MotoGP on the RC213V yet … A bomb, whose blast would be felt right up to Ducati’s home, who would see their own flagship pilot Andrea Dovizioso seriously coveted by KTM … Amazing? It would seem that not!
In KTM, you may have to ask yourself some big questions and go on the offensive in the transfer market. Until then, the sports director Pit Beirer thought he had a hand in ensuring that he was working on the renewal of his four current pilots: Oliveira and Lecuona put at Tech3, and Brad Binder as Pol Espargaró, essential since spearheading the project.
Pit Beirer thus assessed the situation: ” we have very good drivers, which the other teams are also seeing. And until we have a signed contract, they are not guaranteed to be with us for 2021. But we have a friendly relationship with the four drivers, some of whom have been with us for more than five years. I do not see a very great danger that we are already parting. But of course, other teams on the market are also evolving and will consider our pilots and eventually solicit them. I hope our pilots are good enough for the other teams to watch them. If it weren’t, we wouldn’t have made an optimal driver choice. “
“We don’t want to force a pilot to stay with us ” reminds KTM
And then there is this rule in KTM : ” we don’t want to force a pilot to stay with us. You must voluntarily sign the new contracts that we present to you. We are currently preparing. ” For Pol Espargaró, it’s more the desire to have a motorcycle that can play the title than a disenchantment with KTM that is at stake. That being said, the result would be the same: a big loss for Mattighofen’s men.
So, we have to set up plan B. Who’s called Andrea Dovizioso. A very popular pilot but who was previously part of the waking dream. Why would the Italian leave a Ducati which has enabled him, over the past three seasons, to play the title against Marc Marquez ? With, for assessment, three statutes of vice-champion of the world? All this for an RC16 still far from this level when he is already 34 years old?
Seen like that, there is little chance. But it is also accepted that Dovizioso and Gigi Dall’Igna are irreconcilable on the technical path to take for the Desmosedici. And the general relations with Ducati have deteriorated further since Paolo Ciabatti Keep repeating that wages will have to be lowered.
Now, Red Bull has money. And the drink that gives wings would be able to unpack the can to meet the conditions of the Italian pilot who would avoid the RC16 project a big blow of pump. Because the eminent test pilot Dani Pedrosa does not intend to resume competition. And then, since Ducati about to steal Jorge Martin, the Austrians would thus give the reply… He would no longer miss Ducati than looking for a new leader! At the moment, the red tunics have only Jack miller under contract, while Danilo Petrucci, rejected, is already angry … To be continued.
–
