Pol Espargaro re-signs for Red Bull KTM until 2020

Pol Espargaro has secured a new deal with Red Bull KTM to keep him at the team until at least the end of the 2020 season.

The 2013 Moto2 world champion became one of KTM’s headline signings when it joined the MotoGP grid at the start of 2017 by signing the Spanish rider from Monster Yamaha Tech 3, alongside his teammate Bradley Smith, and has impressed the Austrian outfit to lockdown a renewed two-year contract.

The 26-year-old will remain at Red Bull KTM until at least the end of 2020 having been a consistent points scorer for the team since joining with his best results a pair of ninth places coming at Brno and Phillip Island in 2017.

Espargaro says it was a straightforward decision to re-sign for the factory Austrian squad and is eager to push forward with the development of its MotoGP challenger the RC16.

“It has been really easy for me to make this decision; I did not think of another possibility for even a minute,” Espargaro said. “I cannot hide how happy I am being involved in this amazing project, despite the challenges and the work we still have to go through. I love the KTM philosophy and I want to continue trying to reach our goals.

“I don’t know when we will be able to do it, but I’m sure that we will arrive. I have to thank my whole crew for how they push and how they support me, with the leadership of my crew chief Paul Trevathan, and for sure Mike Leitner and Pit Beirer for how they strive every day. And, of course, all the people that work at the races and back at Munderfing.

“We are a team with an ambitious aim. I’m enjoying my best moments in the MotoGP championship, and I’m really happy to know that I’m going to continue here at least until 2020.”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director, has echoed Espargaro’s comments and is thrilled to re-sign him for a further two years.

“Pol has been such a strong part of our project and gave us a lot of trust and belief as well as the highlights so far with two ninth positions,” Beirer said. “I’m really happy we can continue together for another two years because we can build on the work we have already done and keep progressing with the bike.

“He should definitely be one of the people that should benefit from everything we have achieve and learned and how we will push on in the future.”

Reports have emerged linking Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Johann Zarco with a switch to KTM, with the possibility of shuffling out Smith as a result, with speculation set to continue this weekend at the Jerez round.