KTM\u2019s<\/a> RC16, which has often struggled to generate mechanical grip compared to Ducati.<\/p>\n\u201cThe track is super grippy. Ducati [can] mechanically generate this grip and we struggle a bit more than them. So when we have this [high] natural grip with the track we can use it to be fast,” Espargaro said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur bike works super good in these conditions. I\u2019m very pleased for myself, but especially the factory.\u201d<\/p>\n
Acosta finished second in the Sprint and third in the Grand Prix. Bastianini grabbed third in the Sprint before crashing out of Sunday\u2019s race, when Espargaro took the chequered flag in the wheeltracks of former Brno winner Brad Binder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree KTMs in the top ten, which is amazing,” Espargaro said.<\/p>\n
Pol Espargaro heaps praise on Pedro Acosta ![\"Pol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3000_gng_1249617_hires.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Pol Espargaro, 2025 Czech MotoGP<\/p>\n
The Brno breakthrough also saw KTM\u2019s first rostrums since a turbulent winter that included a financial crisis serious enough to cast doubt on the company\u2019s future in the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose were tough times all winter,\u201d Espargaro said. \u201cFor the guys in Mattighofen, this is a big bubble of oxygen for all of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CEO [Gottfried Neumeister] was here enjoying the racing with us, knowing that when we do good things, the results are coming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“This is something fantastic for the whole of KTM.\u201d<\/p>\n
Espargaro also praised Acosta, seventh in the world championship heading into the summer break.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a fighter. A young talent with a lot of power. He wants to win… and sometimes you have to accept that you don\u2019t have the same tools as the others, but believe you will have them soon.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we are working hard, and soon we are going to deliver some good things to the factory guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
The veteran believes the Brno form can be maintained, especially with upcoming rounds in Austria and Hungary, circuits that he also thinks will suit the RC16.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe so. There are some updates about to come on the bike that are promising. We put a lot of effort into the test team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe next two races in Austria and Hungary are promising. I\u2019m pretty positive for the second part of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Espargaro does not expect to race again this season unless Vinales\u2019 recovery takes longer than forecast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope not, because that means Maverick is not fit, and Maverick here would have done an amazing job here,\u201d he said of Vinales\u2019 ongoing recovery from a Sachsenring shoulder injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope you will see me, but with the microphone, because that means Maverick is back racing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Espargaro will now return to his role as a KTM MotoGP<\/a> test rider alongside Dani Pedrosa and continue media duties with Spanish TV.<\/p>\nSubscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pol Espargaro\u2019s surprise return to the MotoGP grid at Brno, filling in for the injured Maverick Vinales, coincided…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43191,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[572],"tags":[64,63,6399,806,805,803,804,6398,10670,26895,85],"class_list":["post-43190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-motosport","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-ktm","tag-motor","tag-motor-sports","tag-motosport","tag-motosports","tag-pol-espargaro","tag-red-bull-ktm-factory-racing","tag-red-bull-ktm-tech3","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}