Izan Guevara: 'No rush to get to MotoGP'

But the teenager, who will rise to Moto2 with Aspar this season, insists he is in no hurry to reach the premier class

“There is no rush to get to MotoGP,” Guevara said. “I need to be ready. I know there is already some interest but we need to focus on the next step ahead of us right now.”

The Spaniard, who blitzed to the Moto3 title with seven wins and twelve rostrums, believes a realistic Moto2 goal is to try and repeat his rookie 2021 Moto3 achievements.

“It's clear I am facing a step. It will be a year to learn again,” he said. “In my first year in Moto3, I adapted quickly and got a win. It would be great to do this again: to be with the front group and aim for a podium and try to be the best rookie.”

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But he acknowledges the depth of talent in Moto2 this year.

“It’s difficult to say who will be champion, there is a lot of strength on the grid. Alonso Lopez, Pedro Acosta, Ai Ogura, Chantra, Canet… It will be really difficult. There is a good level this year,” he said.

Guevara is often compared with fellow 18-year-old Acosta, for good reason: The pair battled together in the 2020 Junior World Championship, which Guevara won, before Acosta rode to rookie glory in the 2021 Moto3 season.

Acosta then moved straight up to Moto2 last year, where he took three wins despite breaking his leg in a mid-season training accident.

Guevaranow now re-joins the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, who says he turned down a MotoGP opportunity for 2023, on track.

“Pedro is a really fast rider who also adapts quickly to the bike,” Guevara said. “I don’t know how many wins he took already last year; I would like to have a first season like this!

“We fought in other categories and sometimes I won, sometimes he did. He is a strong rival and that rapid adaptation to categories means he can move fast through the series.”

And who does Guevara tip in MotoGP this season?

“The Ducatis will be really strong and seem to have already made a step according to the tests. I think an Aprilia will be there but it’s a long championship and there are bound to be a few surprises," he said.

In terms of Guevara's own MotoGP 'connections', KTM's rebranding of Tech3 as GASGAS - the same company Guevara promotes at Aspar - is likely to do no harm, while his former Aspar team manager, Gino Borsoi, is now running Pramac Ducati.