Pol E𝓰spargaro says he’s “never felt so ready and never been so close” since joining KTM an🌜d has confidence the updated RC16 can be competitive from the off in 2020.

Having been a consistent top 12 challenger throughout last season, the🙈 Spaniard has retained that status during the Sepang pre-season test despite it b🍌eing a track which has seen the Austrian manufacturer suffer at since joining MotoGP.

Espargaro ended the official test in seventh place in theཧ comb🐬ined best lap standings, just 0.261s off pace-setter Fabio Quartararo, with KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa backing him up by finishing the test inside the top 10.

While Espargaro has often been a star over a single lap, the Spaniard has gained additional joy from KTM’s pace on used tyr♌es after whittling down the brand’s raꦜft of updates tested out over the winter.

Espargaro believes KTM’s updated engine and chassis options have been standout po🌌sitives allowing him greater feeling and control on the RC16.

“We have never felt so ready and never been so close in one test – these three days – and especially in Malaysia,” Espargaro said. “We have been super-competitive duri♏ng all day and the bike feels super-good. Honestly, I am 𝄹very impressed.

“It i♏s important to do good races but it is also important to start the pre-season well because those track are difficult for us and until we ar🌺rive to Jerez. I’m happy we have started 2020 like this.

“I’m surprised because this isn’t the easiest track for me but our competitiveness means we can be positive to start th📖e season.

“The bike looks ready. It is not going to explode in Qatar, so🔥 we are confident everything is working well.

“We tried the tyre with twenty-thre♋e laps and did a 1m 59.7s, which was honestly ver꧅y good. We then did around 14 or 15 laps and made a 1m 59.3s. Honestly, I am surprised with how it is going.”

Espargaro gave special ♚mention t🐓o KTM’s 2020 engine which enabled him to catch the eye on the top speed charts and take the fight to the Ducati riders.

The Spanish rider ended the final day of the Sepang test having produced the joint-fourth♎ highest top speed of 330.2km/h – only bettered by the Ducati GP20-riding trio Jack Miller, Andrea Dovizioso and Francesco Bagn🧔aia.

“This is a circuit where power is important and also acceleration onto the straight. We improved the engine🐓 a lot at the Jerez test and we again saw evidence of that here,” he said. “We’re really satisfied and were always among the first five-six and the Ducatis here. Tha꧙t’s really important.

“The engine is very good. We have more horsepower and the electronics are working smoother which allows you to open the throttle earlierꦏ in the corners and is important here in Sepang and what we were missing before. Overall it feels very good.”

Espargaro and KTM effectively had double the track time available to them at Sepang due to MotoGP Concession rules, which al⛄so apply to Aprilia, with race riders permitted to take part in the earlier three-day Sepang shakedown alongside test riders and MotoGP rookies.

MotoGP returns to action at the Qatar𒅌 test on February 22-24.