Pol Espargaro admitted he was "riding the bike like an old man" at the Misano MotoGP, describing the race as "super-physical". The Tech3 KTM rider finished 14th after a standout Friday performance that saw him inside the top 10 in practice. But over the full race distance, the physical toll became evident, especially in the final eight laps. "I'm so tired," Espargaro said. "The last eight laps were too much for me. If it were a Sprint, I would be competitive. But from that point, my right arm and back started to struggle, and I was riding like an old man."
Espargaro explained that Misano's high grip makes it one of the most physical tracks on the calendar. "The extra grip makes the bike super-physical," he said. "For example, Barcelona is really low grip and you get zero tired. This one is so grippy and you get so tired. When the track is so grippy, you go on the limit in every acceleration, the G-forces are extremely high in the brakes, on the change of directions, the fast cornering – 11, arriving to 12, 13, brake, all this big and heavy weight into corner 14. It makes life so hard."
The injury he sustained at the start of the season still lingers, affecting his overall fitness. He missed preseason training and time on the bike testing KTM's 850cc machine for 2027. "I think it's a combination of many things," the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider responded. "I did not have the preseason to build up good physical conditions. The fact that I'm not riding often and I don't know the things happening on the bike when the tyre is 20-laps-old. I'm super anxious in the first lap because I'm super on the limit. Trying to follow them, I get more tired and there are many factors involved."
Despite the struggles, Espargaro remains competitive in the Sprint format. "I'm happy overall the weekend to be competitive in one lap, in a Sprint race. So in a Sprint, this time, I'm really competitive, same as Brad [Binder] and Enea [Bastianini]. But from that on, I struggle with the physical conditions and also, technically how to ride the bike. It's difficult."
Espargaro also pointed to his age as a factor. "I'm getting old – I'm 35 and I'm fighting against guys who are 25. This is the point. Honestly speaking, I feel like I'm more tired than I should be. Even if I train, I believe it's hard. So my respect to Marc Marquez and Johann Zarco."
With this result, Espargaro continues to adapt to the KTM RC16. He is substituting for Maverick Vinales at Tech3 KTM, and Misano was his third race. Although he finished 14th, his practice and Sprint showings hint at potential. However, physical and technical challenges remain.
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