Espargaro ‘good results on difficult tracks count twice’, Savadori ‘lab bike’

After returning to the MotoGP (Sprint) podium at Silverstone, where he also put Aprilia on pole position and set the fastest grand prix race lap, Aleix Espargaro faces a tougher challenge this weekend in Austria.

The Spaniard, retiring at the end of this season, freely admits that the stop-and-go nature of the circuit doesn’t suit his riding style. Or indeed, the strengths of the RS-GP, which still excels in fast corners, although progress has also been made in hard braking.

But that would also make a good result in Austria extra sweet.

“It's not one of my favourite circuits, as it's a stop-and-go track that doesn't suit my riding style very much,” Espargaro said of the Red Bull Ring.

“However, I enjoy challenges and that's how I'll approach this weekend.

“I can’t wait to be back on track. Let's see if we can perform well, because good results on difficult tracks count twice.”

While Espargaro finished 9th in last year’s GP, team-mate Maverick Vinales was the top Aprilia rider in sixth.

Although Austria has been the scene of some dramatic moments for Vinales, including brake failure in 2020 and then a mid-2021 split from Yamaha, it’s a circuit he enjoys.

“The ‘Ring is a nice track. In the past we had struggled there, but last year I had a good result, especially in qualifying, where I started from the second on the grid,” he said.

“I am ready to give one hundred percent to try and find what we were missing in Silverstone so we can improve our level and get back to the top.”

Vinales remains the top non-Ducati rider in the world championship, in fifth, but with the KTM’s of Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder in close pursuit.

Meanwhile, there will be a fifth Aprilia in action this weekend with test rider Lorenzo Savadori making his fourth wild-card of the season.

The Italian is back in action after suffering multiple fractures to his vertebrae at Assen, where Espargaro injured his hand.

Savadori will again be riding the Aprilia ‘laboratory bike’, working on parts and ideas for the future.
“I can’t wait to get back to racing. I’m still not at 100% physical fitness, but I have made progress,” Savadori said.

“I’ll be racing with a laboratory bike and we’ll be trying several upgrades. There will be plenty of work to do, including for the future.”

Aprilia’s 2025 future will not include either Espargaro (retiring and switching to Honda test riding duties) or Vinales (switching to Tech3 KTM).

Instead, current Pramac Ducati title leader Jorge Martin and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi will form next year’s factory line-up.