The six-time MotoGP podium will join the KTM Honda factory squad in 2021, but has only five days to get to know the RC213V in March before the opening lap in Qatar.
Espargaro should have spent two days on the Honda during an after-season test in Jerez last November to get his first motorcycle experience, but that excursion has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also lost a day out of the six originally scheduled for preseason 2021 when the three-day trip to Sepang was canceled because of the virus.
Marquez confirmed Tuesday that he will not take the Qatar test as he continues to recover from a third operation on a broken arm.
Although Espargaro will have test rider Stefan Bradl and the LCR duo Alex Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami on the track, he admits that he “needs” Marquez as the only way for him to improve the bike is by getting the best rider the world to learn world “.
“I’ll be arriving in Qatar a little earlier three days before the test. There I will meet with all the engineers and see every single corner of the track and try to analyze all the data that I have in my head, ”said Espargaro.
“Over the past month I’ve been thinking about various situations in which Marc saved these crashes, for example [which] in the end you give him a lot of points; If he hadn’t saved those falls, he might not win these races.
“So that’s my question: How did Marc do it? And it seems like this has been part of Honda’s DNA for the past few years.
“I have to deal with this situation. I’ve done that sometimes in KTM, but I have to learn more how to do it and without Marc the pressure will be high. “
He added, “Of course we have the satellite team and they will also have factory bikes with Alex and Taka.
“They are very, very fast drivers together with Bradl, who drove a lot of laps in the preseason and will be testing in Qatar.
“So I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from him. Then let’s see when Marc arrives in the team.
“Hopefully it will be as soon as possible, but we certainly need Marc because he’s number one on the team and the fastest on the bike and I really want to learn from him.
“The faster he comes [back] The more I learn from his side and the faster I will improve.
“So I’ll improve by learning from the best driver in the world and he’s the one.”