KTM🍒 are eligible for six wild-cards during the 2024 MotoGP campaign under the revised concessions rules, but new test rider Pol Espargaro appears to only be planning ‘one or🐷 two’.

Espargaro, badly injured at the start🍰 of last season, has stepped down from full-time racing to allow rising star Pedro Acosta to make his MotoGP debut with GASGAS Tech3 this season.

The 32-year-old will thus join Dani Pedrosa in developm🌠ent🌊 duties for the RC16.

But during today’s GASGAS launch motorsport director Pit Beirer suggested Espargaro’s main role will be as a mentor for the facꦫtory’s young talents, Acosta and Augusto Fꦑernandez.

“When we founded the GASGAS Factory Racing team [in 2023], it was clear that Pol comes onboard as the captain of the project and losing him as a rider a little bit too early was a difficult mo🍰ment,” Beirer said.

“But now having him committed to the team; he said it clearly, he wants to be there as a test rider, maybe doing one or two wild-card💮s but especially giving advice to the young riders:

“I mean what is better than havin  such a great motorcycle racer like🍒 that on your side making the team stronger?"

Teenage star Acosta admitted it felt a bit daunting to hav🐭e big names like Pedrosa and Espargaro in his corner as he adapts to the premier-class.

“At the end having for sure Dani and Pol, that are guys that really know how is the MotoGP class 🐼and also how is the KTM🍷 bike, will help a lot,” Acosta said.

“And having these guys so close to us, like I saw in Valencia, wil𒁏l be so nice to try and improve a✨s fast as possible.

“It’s true that – again – it won’t be easy to💖 have these big nam𒀰es around me...but we will try.”

If Espargaro only takes part in a couple of wild-cards it would open the door for 31-time MotoGP win🍒ner Pedrosa, who finished a fraction ꦆfrom the podium at Misano last year, to make more race appearances in 2024.

"We are going to share the wild-cards. We don't have a fixed plan yet [to use all six], but there are some tracks where we are interested, where we know Dani should do a wild-card there. A𝓡nd Pol is for sure is going to do some wild-cards," Beirer confirmed.