Aleix Espargarò is undoubtedly the man of the day at Silverstone. The podium he reached today is on the one hand a starting point for the Aprilia MotoGP project, on the other hand the perfect stepping stone for a second phase of the same project. Targets are getting more ambitious and the arrival of Maverick Vinales can only raise the bar higher as we look towards 2022.
Espargarò was able to enjoy the podium after taking it by force, Hold back Jack Miller’s (Ducati) attacks until the end and crown a weekend at the highest level. For the Spaniard, there is another satisfaction, namely to have won a bet with Aprilia, which is now rightly called upon to fulfill her commitment.
“Now Aprilia owes me a MotoGP bike! I’ll add it to my collection – said a satisfied Espargarò – I think I’ll put it in the bedroom if Laura agrees. In the living room I have the CRT, but I hope to have it in the future.” to accommodate more at home in all corners “
Aleix Espargarò: “I won the bet, now Aprilia has to give me a MotoGP bike for my collection”
You have won the bet, now tell your emotions for a long-awaited and above all long-awaited result.
“It’s like a dream! I’m super happy. It was a long way to get here. Step by step I’ve always believed in the project and I’m working more than ever, so it’s like a dream for everyone in Aprilia. Us. We have to keep working hard and I want to thank everyone. It was not an easy race and I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I dedicate this podium to my wife Laura, who has always supported me even in difficult moments “.
The podium almost became an obsession …
“It was important to get on the podium this season, but the really important thing was to keep improving and we did that. I think we did a great job; we are closer to the top than ever and this result must give us the energy to improve even further. Fantastic for Aprilia, I think we really deserve it. A few years ago we were really in trouble but we didn’t give up and now things are going in the right direction. We deserve it. “
What has really changed in Aprilia?
“Aprilia has made great strides since the arrival of Massimo Rivola, our team has improved a lot and the quality of work has improved a lot. Next year we will have the factory full and Maverick will also be part of the team. The future looks good for us and of course the season is still going and I always want more. It is not enough for me. Now I have a lot less pressure because everyone was asking me, “Is this race the podium, is this race the podium?” We’re in really good shape and Aprilia is usually very strong, then it’s not even one of Fabio’s favorite tracks so the race may be a little slower. The goal will be to keep fighting for the podium, but that’s the same at every GP. “
Have you ever thought that a driver like Vinales could come to Aprilia?
“As for Maverick, yes, of course, if someone told you at the beginning of the season that you were graduating from Yamaha and going to Aprilia, you will say it was 10 steps back. But of course the way he dealt with Yamaha isn’t nice, but it’s not that bad because the Aprilia is a competitive bike. We’re still not up to the Yamaha level, that’s for sure, but we’re on the way and I think he’ll enjoy riding the Aprilia. It will have to adapt because it’s a very different story from Yamaha, but as I showed today, the bike is on its way. “
Did everything go smoothly in the race today?
“No not at all! At some point the bike stopped working while I was on the back straight and my heart stopped for a second. I don’t know what happened, only that everything was back to normal immediately. I lost a couple of positions and maybe I could have followed Fabio without this problem, but that’s fine. Maybe by staying with him I could have opened a gap to finish second, but that’s fine. I made a big mistake on the last lap because I was just focusing on Alex trying to attack him for second place and I didn’t care who came. And that was a big mistake because I opened the door at the last chicane. But I think I drove pretty smoothly today, pretty clever, saved the rear tire so I had more traction than Jack. And then I was able to get my third place back, but today the podium was mine, so I was totally convinced. “
You said you were one of the top three MotoGP riders. Do you think you confirmed it today?
“When I said that I felt like one of the top 3 riders in MotoGP, I meant that I think I will ride in a way that I can be in the top three now. I think that’s true, but it’s a sport where you have to prove what you’re worth every time. I’ve been on the podium in other places, like Le Mans or Austria, but the motorcycle gave me away there. So I knew I had this potential and I finally realized it today by pushing to the limit. My bike has improved a lot, but it’s still not a winning bike, maybe without these problems I would be further up the overall standings today, because in the end we are not far from the top three. Now we’re all very close in MotoGP, with the exception of Fabio, who I think is the best at the moment. “
Do you think the World Cup is over yet?
“It’s not so much about the difference in points. Fabio drives better than everyone else, he can make a few mistakes, but he is always on the podium. I repeat, it’s not about the points, it’s about the fact that he really drives much better everywhere and I don’t see anyone who can beat him on all tracks, which is necessary to win a world championship.
Nowadays there are many manufacturers who have competitive bikes. A different scenario than in the past.
“The MotoGP level is just amazing today, the highest I’ve ever seen on the track. There are so many fast manufacturers, so many bikes that can win and get on the podium. There is a lot of technical development, everything can happen.” . Before you could only win on a Honda or a Yamaha, now everything is different and it’s nice because all bikes are different and yet all are on a very similar level ”.
THE VIDEO OF THE LAST LAP BETWEEN ALEIX AND JACK MILLER