Aleix Espargarò drove an excellent race at Assen, which ended in eighth place behind Marc Marquez after he was also involved in a tough battle with the Honda Champion. Aprilia provided further evidence of a great improvement this weekend. The scenario drawn by the rapidly spreading rumors that Vinales is ready to leave Yamaha to land in Noale in 2022 did not seem science fiction at all.
Speaking to the journalists, Espargarò immediately set the record.
“I will not comment in any way on this rumor about Vinales in Aprilia”.
Okay, but at least you can be satisfied because it’s nice to associate Aprilia with the name of a top driver like Vinales. That means the project has improved a lot.
“Actually, I was very angry when I heard about heard Massimo Rivola that in 2022 we would no longer have two wheels on the track. Then I was very angry when I found out that some young Moto2 riders wouldn’t come and race with us. I love Aprilia, I feel this project is mine and I always want to improve. I think those Moto2 riders who had the chance to come and turn it down will regret that decision in the future. You missed a great opportunity and I hope that my team-mate can be a really quick and strong driver in 2022 because we deserve it and we are not far from the front. “
What can you tell us about this race in Assen?
“I’m happy with my race pace, but I’m a little frustrated. I could have stayed further up front, I felt fast and strong, but the problem is that I always have trouble overtaking in the race, that’s” is mine Restriction. For example, I felt like I was stronger than Bagnaia in the last part of the race, but it’s frustrating to be in this situation. At the end of the race I drove my fastest lap, the only lap in which I was alone and was able to retract my lines and drove almost as strong as in qualifying. But when I caught Bagnaia, I couldn’t get past him and that was it. “
What about the duel with Marquez?
“Marc is tough on the track. He’s just Marc, he’s very strong. I know how hard it is to fight with him, but also with pecco. Only when Pecco is setting up the Ducati does it make an impression, even Marc couldn’t walk past him. We lost time, me and Marc fought between us, he was stronger than me. I tried everything on the last lap, I drove my best lap of the race, but it wasn’t enough. “
What is the balance of the first part of the season?
“I’m happy with the work I did in the first part of the season, I’m eighth in the championship with 61 points and we have to enjoy that because it was much worse in the past. But we have to improve the engine because that’s what we need now. “
The engineers are following your instructions, is something basic missing on this bike?
“All Aprilia engineers believe in my talent and my pointers and know that I would trade something for the Aprilia RS-GP 21 to have a little more power. The bike is doing pretty well, we use all the available power and the electronics do it perfectly thanks to the aerodynamics. Everything is ready to fight at the top, but when we go full throttle and all the power is put from the tires to the ground, I understand that it’s not enough to overtake our rivals. You work hard and I know I don’t have to wait until 2022 to see something really new. We are very close to the best. I’m happy with the results we’re getting, but in any case, I’m a bit frustrated knowing that we lack very little to fight for podiums and wins.
What are you planning for this holiday season?
“In the coming weeks I will be doing some mountain bike races, I hope for fun and relaxation. I’ll be out with my family, meIt will be the best way to rest, especially my brain. “