Factory KTM rider Pol Espargaro has roundly lauded work done by satellite rider Iker Lecuona which pushed him towards the podium at Aragon.

All four riders tried a raft of differing settings at the Spanish track but it was the data from Lecuona which unlocked pace for Espargaro.

“Last weekend we were trying to figure out what was going on and were just doing some small changes on our ‘normal’ bike,” said Espargaro.

“But this weekend we turned it around and we were trying to use different set-ups, far away from our bike.

“Trying a longer swingarm, closer front, opening the front, very short swingarm… Going much further than we are used to doing at the other racetracks where we were just changing small things.”

Still struggling on day one, it all came together for Espargaro afer using Lecuona’s settings.

“Tech3 were helping us, especially Lecuona. Iker was working very good this weekend and we were using by the end his setup. So this really matters for us.

“I think it’s one of the first times that we get a super help from the outside, because we were really struggling Friday and then Iker’s setup really helped us.

“Then all the bikes became better, then the front tyre becomes better. All the package was working well.”