Aleix Espargaro: “I love Jorge like a son” | “100%” sure of farewell Aprilia victory chance

Aleix Espargaro’s dream scenario for this weekend’s Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP finale is to win on his Aprilia farewell and see Jorge Martin crowned world champion.

After a 20-year grand prix career, local star Espargaro retires from full-time racing on Sunday, before a new chapter begins as a test rider for Honda.

Espargaro might yet race again at Catalunya as a wild-card but this weekend will bring the curtain down on an eight-year Aprilia career and, almost certainly, offer the final chance to stand on a MotoGP podium.

Winner of three of the last four races at Barcelona, Espargaro is “100%” sure he can fight for victory in both the Sprint and Sunday races.

“Last time I was here, the Thursday of Barcelona was a very emotional day, when I did the press conference announcing my retirement. But from Friday it was like a normal weekend. This will not be a normal weekend,” Espargaro said.

“It's a very, very special weekend. Obviously this [home] circuit is the best place on Earth for me. And hopefully, we can raise a lot of money for the Valencia people and do a good show on Sunday.”

The cancellation of Valencia due to the devastating floods, means a return to the circuit where in May Espargaro set a new lap record for pole, won the Sprint and was fourth (top non-Ducati) in the grand prix.

“I’ve prepared for the GP better than I did ever in my life. I'm trying to be competitive from the beginning, trying to fight for the victory,” he said.

“I was very obsessed during the first Barcelona GP this year, but this time is a bit different. It will be the last time I will ride the Aprilia in my career, so I don't want any regrets. I want to have fun, to smile.

“I will try to fight for the victory. Anything that happens, you will see me smiling because I know that in the near future, I will miss my mechanics. I will miss my Aprilia. So I want to have fun.”

Do you think it's realistic to fight for the victory?

“Yes. 100%.”

That includes the Sunday race, even though Espargaro was ten seconds from race winner Francesco Bagnaia in May.

Espargaro’s heightened optimism is due to the cooler temperatures meaning he can race softer tyres.

“I have confidence because we raced with the hard tyre in May and I expect not to use it [this weekend] because it will be colder. I expect to go with softer compounds.

“I was very fast, I did the lap record with the soft tyre and Michelin expects that this tyre can make the race. This is why I'm a little bit more happy and I have the feeling that we have more chances.

“But anyway, it's going to be extremely difficult, the Ducatis the last three months are flying.”

One of those flying Ducatis is Espargaro’s good friend and world championship leader Martin, who holds a 24-point advantage over reigning title holder Francesco Bagnaia.

Martin can wrap up his first MotoGP title if he wins, or scores two points more than Bagnaia, in the Saturday Sprint. Otherwise, it will go down to Sunday’s final grand prix.

“I love Jorge like a son and for me the priority is that he can make it,” Espargaro said.

“And obviously if he can do it on Saturday maybe then he can help a little me on Sunday, just by not going as full as they did in the last races where he and Pecco disappeared and there was no chance for the others.

“So if he can make it [the title] on Saturday, the Sunday race can be a little bit more relaxed [for them] and we can have more chances.”

But what if it goes down to Sunday and Espargaro finds himself fighting with Martin?

“If I'm able to fight for the victory on Sunday, it's already unbelievable. But knowing that he is fighting for the title, it will be different. I will have to act in a different way, 100%.

“So we will see. But yeah. I hope this is the problem!”