Pol Espargaro officially signed by Repsol Honda
Rennie Scaysbrook | July 13, 2020
Pol Espargaro will become a Repsol Honda rider in 2021 after the team formally announced his signing in place of Alex Marquez.
Espargaro has been part of KTM’s MotoGP project since its inception, leading the development of the RC16 that saw him take a podium place in third at the final race of 2018, and will face off against lifetime rival Marc Marquez in the same team for the first time. Marquez and Espargaro have a very long history of intense competition between the two, which stretches right back to the Spanish junior categories as pre-teens.
“Honda Racing Corporation are pleased to announce the signing of Pol Espargaro,” HRC said in a statement. “The former Moto2 World Champion will join the Repsol Honda Team on a two-year contract. He will join eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez aboard the Honda RC213V. Espargaro is one of the most experienced riders on the grid, having raced in the World Championship since 2006 and with 104 premier class Grands Prix contested.”
Espargaro’s appointment comes at the expense of Alex Marquez, the 2019 Moto2 World Champion who had yet to turn a wheel in racing anger in MotoGP. He will move to the LCR squad in place of Cal Crutchlow, who is rumored to be close to a deal to replace the suspended Andrea Iannone at Aprilia for 2021.
“HRC would like to extend their thanks to Cal Crutchlow for his diligent and tireless work since joining HRC in 2015,” a statement from HRC read. “With three wins and 12 podiums, the British rider has been a valuable asset on and off track – a constant source of excellent feedback for the engineers and a key part of developing the Honda RC213V in recent years. HRC wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Click here for all the latest MotoGP news.