Pol Espargaro, Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing
Photo by: GasGas Factory Racing
The Tech3 rider crashed in the latter stages of FP2 in the season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix and suffered numerous fractures, including to his back and jaw, after hitting an unprotected tyre barrier.
Espargaro required surgery on the three vertebrae he broke in his back, and his jaw had to be wired shut for a month, forcing him onto a liquid diet.
Speaking in his first appearance since the crash during the Dutch GP weekend, Espargaro revealed that he was losing over two kilos of muscle weight each week while his jaw was wired closed and called this “the worst moment” of his recovery.
“The worst time was those four weeks after I exited the hospital. I had my mouth completely closed,” he said.
“For four weeks I couldn’t eat, so I was just drinking soup and losing 2.5 kilos per week. This is insane. I was losing two kilos of muscle, not fat, because I didn’t have fat at the beginning of the year.
“You have a lot of pain and everything, but you look into the mirror and say ‘I will need to recover all of this.
“How much work did I do to gain three kilos in the winter? How much work will I have to do to gain eight, nine kilos?’
“That was a bad feeling. I looked into the mirror and it was not my face, not my body. I didn’t recognise my body and that was hard.”
Espargaro says he was down to his “125cc weight, or even lighter” during his recovery but is now “training quite well” and sees the five-week summer break as “like another pre-season for me”.
Asked if he considered giving up racing at any point during his recovery, Espargaro replied: “Yeah, that’s for sure. These kinds of injuries, they are big.
“Over the last month, I was just looking forward to going back on the bike. But in the hospital, when you are so bad and a lot of people are coming and telling you what you have, and in my situation with my wife and two daughters, it’s tough.
“But at the end of the day, it’s what I do. I’ve raced all my career, hurting myself, recovering and going again. And this is part of this job. I try to see it as the bad side of the job.
“More or less [that feeling of giving up is gone now]. It’s gone because I’m looking forward to coming [back].
“But these moments bring you back to reality. When it doesn’t happen, you don’t think about it. But when it happens you think ‘wow, this is real’.
“So, it stays real for a little bit longer than when you break a finger or a hand or whatever.
“For sure this is more serious, so I’m going to pay more attention when I [get on] on the bike.
“I’m an experimental guy. I’ve been here for a lot of years in MotoGP, but still this kind of thing happens. So, you need to be careful.”
The Tech3 rider crashed in the last option phases of FP2 in the season-opening Portuguese Fantastic Prix and experienced various cracks, including to his back and jaw, subsequent to hitting an unprotected tire boundary.
Espargaro required a medical procedure on the three vertebrae he crushed in his spirit, and his jaw must be wired closed for a month, compelling him onto a fluid eating routine.
Talking in his most memorable appearance since the accident during the Dutch GP weekend, Espargaro uncovered that he was losing more than two kilos of muscle weight every week while his jaw was wired shut and referred to this as “the most terrible second” of his recuperation.
“The most exceedingly terrible time was those a month after I left the clinic. I had my mouth totally shut,” he said.
“For a long time I was unable to eat, so I was simply drinking soup and losing 2.5 kilos each week. This is crazy. I was losing two kilos of muscle, not fat, since I didn’t have fat toward the start of the year.
“You have a great deal of torment and everything, except you investigate the mirror and say ‘I should recuperate all of this.
“How much work did I do to acquire three kilos in the colder time of year? How much work will I need to do to acquire eight, nine kilos?’
“That was a terrible inclination. I investigated the mirror and it was not my face, not my body. I didn’t perceive my body and that was hard.”
Espargaro says he was down to his “125cc weight, or significantly lighter” during his recuperation however is currently “preparing very well” and sees the five-week summer break as “like another pre-season for me”.
Inquired as to whether he considered quitting any pretense of dashing anytime during his recuperation, Espargaro answered: “Definitely, that is without a doubt. These sorts of wounds, they are enormous.
“Throughout the past month, I was simply anticipating backpedaling on the bicycle. Be that as it may, in the clinic, when you are so terrible and a many individuals are coming and letting you know what you have, and in my circumstance with my significant other and two girls, it’s extreme.
“Be that as it may, by the day’s end, it’s my specialty. I’ve dashed all my profession, harming myself, recuperating and going once more. Furthermore, this is essential for this work. I attempt to consider it to be the terrible side of the gig.
“Pretty much [that sensation of surrendering is gone now]. It’s gone on the grounds that I’m anticipating coming [back].
“Yet, these minutes take you back to the real world. At the point when it doesn’t work out, you don’t consider it. However, when it happens you think ‘goodness, this is genuine’.
“Thus, it remains genuine for somewhat longer than when you break a finger or a hand or makes no difference either way.
“Without a doubt this is more significant, so I will focus harder when I [get on] on the bicycle.
“I’m an exploratory person. I’ve been hanging around for a ton of years in MotoGP, yet something like this occurs. In this way, you should watch out.”
Espargaro likewise lauded the help that KTM gave him during his recuperation, saying it was beyond what he might have at any point anticipated.
Having looked at a rebound to hustling during the Italy/Germany/Netherlands triple-header, Espargaro ought to be back on the framework for August’s English GP.
Espargaro also praised the support that KTM gave him during his recovery, saying it was more than he could have ever expected.
Having eyed a comeback to racing during the Italy/Germany/Netherlands triple-header, Espargaro should be back on the grid for August’s British GP.
