And while the 22-year-old has no plans to switch disciplines, he thoroughly enjoyed the gift prepared for him by the team as a reward for his Moto2 title. Espargaró threw himself into his laps with great confidence, perhaps even showing slightly too much, as the test was cut short following a spin that ended with the car against the barriers.

Even so, Pol enjoyed every minute of the experience: “It was great!” he commented. “A totally different experience from riding bikes, and a fantastic feeling. The Formula Renault 3.5 is really incredible, I was impressed with the power, the handling and the carbon brakes, which are phenomenal. The few laps I drove really gave me a thrill, and also the awareness that to control such a sophisticated machine, one needs slightly more training and preparation than I had! Unfortunately, I gave it too much throttle into the corner before the chicane, lost the car and ended up hitting the barrier. Still, it was a great day for me and I would like to thank Pons Racing for the opportunity. I’ve always enjoyed cars and who know, one day when I’m much older and finished racing bikes, I may consider racing on 4 wheels…”