The GASGAS Tech3 rider was one of three riders iꦡn contention for KTM’s satellite team, after their request to have a fifth bike on the grid was rejected.

T🔜hat meant Espargaro, Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta were all in the running for the GASGAဣS seats.

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Like the ꦗtwo factory riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller, Espargaro had a contract for next year but will instead take up a test rider role with several wildcard appearances, as promoting Acosta alongside Fernandez, who has impressed during his rookie season, was a no-brainer. 

But while Espargaro admitted to MotoGP.com that it was the right decision, stepping away from full-time racing wꦕill be ‘really tough to accept’.

Espargaro said: “Going out of a full MotoGP season as a ཧrider is painful. Thiꦿs has been the last 15/16 years of my life. 

“Racing as a proper rider in MotoGP, in any of the categories; and to then sa🍌y I’m going to be doing something is really tough to accept. 

“It’s not a goodbye. I don’t like goodbye’s and I’m not good at that. I felt that I had to do that step in my career, to step a litಌtle bit aside, not back, but beside, and to help the factory with a rider like Pedro [Acosta]. I really see Pedro as the future of this brand.”

One of the reasons Espargaro was hap🐲py to ꦐmove aside for Acosta is the risk that comes with racing in MotoGP.

Feeling himself taking less risks that earlier in his career, Espargaro added: “On the racing side I think I lost myself a l🌸ittle bit [after Portimao fall]. Some of my spirit. 

“When you are young you are fa🌺st because you don’t have so many traumas. As you get older, more mature, you take some precautions in case it happens again. 

“This year I crashed out of the pit box 🔯on a co♕ld tyre, and now every time I go out of the pit box I’m a little bit more aware than before. 

“It’s a weight that yꦐou have on your back that makes you a little bit slower because you take a🏅 little bit less risk. It’s a sport that is about how much risk you are prepared to take.”