Pol Espargaro will make his MotoGP debut next season alongside Bradley Smith in a youthful Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team. The Spaniard is one of the hottest properties outside of the premier class and Yamaha have signed him to a two year contract, placing him in their satellite team for 2014 in place of Cal Crutchlow.
Espargaro has an impressive record in the lower classes, winning five races in the 125cc class before graduating to Moto2 in 2011, finishing on the podium twice in his rookie season. Pol would enjoy his best year to date in 2012 where he would push eventual champion Marc Marquez all the way to the penultimate race, taking four wins and eight poles along the way.
Espargaro and Smith enjoyed many a tussle in their early careers (Photo Credit: MotoGP.com)
This season saw him begin as the overwhelming favourite for the Moto2 title but early season mistakes left him playing catch-up to Scott Redding in the battle for the championship and he currently trails the Briton by 23 points at the halfway stage.
Pol will join his elder brother Aleix in the premier class while also renewing an old 125cc rivalry with his new teammate Smith and in the announcement of their line-up, the French squad believe it “reaffirms the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad’s commitment to developing and nurturing fast talent in MotoGP.”
