Aleix Espargaro: “Saturday I can have some fun, fastest engine I ever had”
“I enjoyed today. I don't see anybody super fast, super strong... I think I can have some fun tomorrow.”
It was “more difficult than it looked” but Aleix Espargaro remains confident of fighting for victory in Saturday’s Barcelona Sprint race after third place in Friday practice.
But a question mark hangs over Sunday, Espargaro’s final MotoGP as a full-time rider, when he fears the Ducatis might again pull clear of the field.
Espargaro benefitted from a fresh Aprilia engine for the final round and praised Michelin’s efforts in supplying seven different tyre options for the re-arranged season finale.
But the cool 17-degree afternoon air temperature made the notoriously slippery circuit even more challenging.
“A more difficult day than it looks because the conditions were very, very difficult. 17 degrees for a time attack with these MotoGPs is not easy!” said Espargaro, who was classified behind only Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi.
“I struggled a little bit with the overall grip, the same problem we had from mid-season. But overall I'm happy, I improved quite a lot. I didn't want to crash as I did at the last four GPs on a Friday, so I took a bit of care at the beginning.”
The Spaniard added: “It's unbelievable what Michelin did. We have many options. They ‘protect’ a lot the left side of the tyre. For me a little bit too much. But I will not blame them. It's better this than crashing. I think they did a really, really good job.
“You need to try the tyre but it's not that easy because I really love this circuit, but it's quite slippery and it's very cold.
“It's difficult to understand the limit because you feel that the bike is not really pushing the ground. 17° with these MotoGPs is very, very difficult to understand. It's very easy to crash.”
On the plus side, Espargaro was boosted by ‘the fastest engine I ever had’.
“Aprilia is working hard, they brought me a new engine, it’s the fastest engine I ever had. Even a little bit more RPMs for a Friday and I'm flying in the straight so I'm happy, we're trying everything.”
Espargaro and Aprilia have won three of the last four races at his local track, including the Sprint from pole position in May.
The #41 remains confident of having ‘some fun’ on soft rubber in tomorrow’s Sprint.
“Let's forget Sunday, if we talk about Saturday with soft tyres, yes I think I can!” he said of his farewell victory chances.
“I enjoyed today. I tried the different fronts, the rears and I felt more or less OK. I don't see anybody super fast, super strong. So I think we have our opportunity.
“For Sunday I don't understand yet how fast we can go over a long distance, but for tomorrow I think I can have some fun.”
Espargaro’s Sunday caution is well founded, with Ducati unbeaten in a full-length race since team-mate Maverick Vinales won at round three in COTA.
That includes May’s Catalunya grand prix when Espargaro finished as the top non-Ducati in fourth place but over ten seconds from victory.
The Spaniard, who will switch to Honda test and wild-card duties after this weekend, confirmed the other manufacturers are still trailing Ducati in understanding the 2024-spec rear tyre construction.
“We analyse many, many, many parameters. We work so hard trying to understand many things… There is something that we cannot put together,” he said.
“We don't have traction, we don't have grip, just Ducati is enjoying it [the rear tyre] and we are struggling a lot.”
As well as his own performance this weekend, Espargaro is keeping an eye on good friend and future Aprilia rider Jorge Martin’s title showdown with Francesco Bagnaia.
Bagnaia suffered an unusual accident this morning when he lost the front and fell, after the chequered flag, as Vinales passed him into Turn 1 following a practice start.
That followed an earlier bizarre clash between Tech3 riders Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez, which brought out red flags.
“I don't want to go into a single incident but remember one thing, everybody is excited because it's the last race. Everybody is tired. Everybody is thinking a little bit on Tuesday, new bikes,” Espargaro said.
“Pecco is for sure super nervous, thinking about his championship. So difficult to manage. The best thing is not to blame anybody and try to finish and to have fun as much as possible.”
Vinales was sixth quickest in Friday meaning he is also safety through to Qualifying 2.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
