Pol Espargaró, Maverick Viñales' replacement, feels like 'a soldier'

Arriving at Silverstone for the MotoGP British Grand Prix, Pol Espargaró, who is filling in for the injured Maverick Viñales at KTM's Tech 3 team, described his current role as feeling "like a soldier being moved here and there." Espargaró mentioned he was in Italy just yesterday and is now at the circuit, jokingly adding, "Who knows where I'll be tomorrow."

Despite the whirlwind, Espargaró stated his primary goal for the weekend in the UK is to "try to enjoy it somehow." He also expressed hope that "this situation" resolves quickly "for everyone's benefit."

The younger Espargaró brother, a former Moto2 world champion in 2013, acknowledged that he is not the same rider he was five years ago when he secured a MotoGP pole position with Honda. "Because of the small injuries I suffer," he explained, "and being 35, competing with 20-year-olds, having ten more years, makes a huge difference, especially in a sport where you accumulate injuries."

Espargaró admitted to the media at Silverstone that he is present "by contractual obligation," as his contract requires him to substitute for "any injured rider within the factory." However, he quickly added that he is "eager" to race, though he would be there regardless "to be honest." He insisted he arrives "full of energy," viewing himself as "just one part of a mechanism" as a test rider, contributing his "grain of sand."