Pol Espargaro 'happy' with Jerez MotoGP test, 'close to Taka'

Pol Espargaro had struggled to hi💮de his disappointment after a tenth-place finish in Sunday's Spanish MotoGP, saying he struggled in every area ꧋bar braking and revealing the variety of Honda packages on the grid were adding to his 'confusion' in learning his new bike.
But he felt happier after notched up a huge 89 laps at the Monday test, despite two falls, as he finished a competitive sixth on the fi🌳nal tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚimesheets.
The Spaniard was also less than two tenths from the top Honda of Takaakiඣ Nakagami, 𝔉who matched his race finish with fourth.
While Nakagami has joined LCR team-mate Alex Marquez in switching back to last year's chassis, Espargaro and Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez racedᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ the 2021 version.
It is not thought that Espargaro tried the 2020 chassis on Monday, but he did have plenty of other new components - including aerodynamics, electronics and ergo🦄nomics - scattered across a reported three different bikes.
"Honda kept me busy today!" Espargar🌱o said. "We have worked on many things, electronics, aero, ergonomics – they seem simple or small topics but when you’re still new to a bike they can make a big difference together.
"We have performed well today, I was close to Taka wh🐟o has been the strongest Honda this weekend, so I am happy.
"I always say, even if the things we test work or not, we are le🀅arning. It's a process we need to go through. We need to be open minded and keep trying things and don’t be scared of mistakes or problems. It's aꦫ matter of laps, understanding, experience.
"We have learned a lot today and it has been v🦄ery good for me to ride and try things without the pressure of a race weekend.
"Putting one lap together with a fresh soft tyre is still taking some time, I think it's a problem for all riders that have changed bikes because y꧅ou need to k♔now a bike well to take it to the limit.
"Now we look to Le Mans.”
Le Mans was the scene of Honda's first podium of last season, with Espargaro's Repsol pre✤decessor Alex Marque𝄹z, who was 15th fastest on Monday.
Marc🔯 Marquez withdrew from testing after 7 laps due to his physical condition, following the꧙ strain of a race weekend and two big falls.

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injur𝐆y issues.