British MotoGP ‘one of the first times I really enjoy’ this year - Espargaro

Pol Espargaro compares his impressive day-one at the British MotoGP to that of Le Mans earlier in the season; ‘Yeah it was a good day. In Le Mans I was in a little bit better shape, but to ride like this, I really enjoy’.

Robert Jones

27 Aug 2021

Pol Espargaro, MotoGP, British MotoGP 27 August 2021
© Gold and Goose

Pol Espargaro enjoyed one of his better starts to a MotoGP race weekend aboard the Repsol Honda - finishing P4 on combined times.

It was a day that saw Espargaro get the most out of his RC213V in both race trim and FP2’ late session time-attack.

The Spaniard moved into second place with his final flying lap, only to be relegated to fourth by the Ducati’s of Jack Miller and Jorge Martin.

Still, it was a top five appearance that’s been hard to come by in any session for some time.

Espargaro compared the opening day to that of Le Mans by saying: "Yeah it was a good day but I think it was a little bit better in Le Mans. In Le Mans I was in a little bit better shape. But yes, everything went quite okay.

"Just with the medium tyres it was too cold, it was a little bit unsafe with the crashes we have seen and I really didn’t push so much with the mediums to find a good rhythm.

"But anyway, at the end I had a clear idea with the soft tyres that I could push and find the limit.

"So far everything is coming quite smooth, so at the moment there are no complaints at all.

"I feel good with the temperature, with the bike, with the track. Everything is working pretty well."

Espargaro put a lot of his positive feelings with the Honda down to the lower temperatures which yielded more grip, as opposed to the hotter conditions of other races this season which have worked against the former KTM man.

Espargaro has found it difficult when track temps get really high this season - leads to track asphalt getting greasier and therefore generating less grip.

But with Silverstone’s cooler conditions and new asphalt, the Spaniard found significant improvements ‘especially’ with corner ‘entry’.

"This helped us so much on entry especially as we can stop the bike faster, we can brake later and I can use the rear brake a little bit more," said Espargaro.

"I can also open the throttle a little bit with some angle and when I pick up (the bike) I’m not spinning anymore.

"The spinning is stopping. To ride like this, I really enjoy. Together with Le Mans it’s one of the first times."