Pol Espargaro, the smile after the fear: “I can speak again, I’ll be on the track soon”

“Good morning everyone, how are you? I’m almost back, and in the meantime – finally! – I can smile again”. Forty-one days after the dramatic accident on the Portimao track, during the second free practice session, Pol Espargaro recounted his misadventure in a video posted on his Instagram profile. “One month and one week after the fall of Portugal I can speak. For a few days I’ve started eating again, after having been with my jaw completely closed for 4 weeks: I’ve lost a lot of weight, about 8-9 kilos”, said the Tea Gas Gas pilot. Confessing that “he had a very bad time”. He is not the only champion out of action in this season’s debut – Marc Marquez broke his thumb, Enea Bastianini his right scapula: the Rimini rider is still in doubt for the next Le Mans race, as is Manuel Oliveira – but he is certainly the one that came out worse after the crash. What impresses in these boys is the serenity with which they face daily life and its negative sides: ready to start over, immediately.

Eight fractures and two surgeries

After the terrible fall on his Ktm – it was the FP2 of the first race of the season – the youngest of the Espargarò brothers (32 years old next month, won a world championship in Moto2 in 2013) suffered 8 fractures and underwent 2 surgeries: “My jaw broke here (points to the right side above) and here (under the mouth, further to the left), where you can see the scar: I still have a shoe inside, but now I can chew quite well, I open my mouth and have a fair amount of mobility. But the fracture also caused me a hearing problem and I had to have surgery for that as well”. How many broken bones poor Pol. some muscles, I lack strength”.

“Little by little I’m getting back to normal”

But he smiles: “It’s not a problem: I’m starting to work hard again with my rehabilitation, to be ready and get back on track as soon as possible”. Ah, he forgot a couple more things: “There would also be two broken ribs and three fractures to the lower vertebrae, in particular the eighth: I have to wear a corset and be very careful, for now. No motion, which is the worst of all. But little by little I’m getting back to normal.”

“Thank you, Carlota.” Back on track at Silverstone?

Having undergone surgery at the Dexeus clinic in Barcelona, ​​where Marc Marquez is unwillingly at home, Pol Espergarò wanted to thank everyone: “Dr Charte, who followed me like a father, as did Dr Mir. You fans, who with your messages of support you have given me the fuel to continue believing in it. And above all my wife Carlota, who has been fundamental in recent weeks: I am truly proud of her”. See you soon, of course on the track. With the drivers it is impossible to make predictions, but reasonably after the July break: at Silverstone, in early August.