This Sunday, Aleix Espargaró signed the fourth podium for Aprilia at the French Grand Prix. This is the third consecutive drawer of honor for the Spanish driver, which coincides with the first three European races of the season.
“It was a super difficult race. The most difficult so far, without a doubt. I’m super tired”, introduced the Spanish rider after finishing the race, a test that was not easy for the riders in the premier class, especially due to the conditions of the track and the personality of the French layout.
“My front end was closing and I had several highsides . My power was increasingly reduced and I saw many crashes in front of me,” he recalled. “I almost fell two or three times. So I was making falls all the time.”
During Sunday, clutch problems gave the Spanish rider a break, although the front end compromised his Aprilia.
“As I got closer to Jack [Miller] my problems with the front end increased, but I knew Fabio [Quartararo] would have a hard time overtaking me. I was going fast, but not fast enough to overtake Jack.”
“I couldn’t overtake because he and I have similar braking, and I knew that Fabio had the same problem that I have with Jack. He [Fabio] is better than me in cornering, but not in braking,” the pilot analyzed. of Aprilia regarding a race that, according to the Spaniard, has been “survival”, since “it was more difficult to stay on the bike than to go fast”.
Espargaró had no problem telling what was, in his opinion, the key to completing the 27 laps of the legendary Le Mans track: “The race was deduced from not making mistakes, and I have achieved it.”
“It was very hard to endure until the end, but it was worth it,” said Espargaró.
The Granollers rider’s podium put the Noale factory in the lead in the team championship, overtaking Suzuki. The two pilots of the Japanese structure, which will leave the world championship after this season, crashed and could not score points.
“The third podium in a row is crazy. We are four points away from the championship and now there are very good races coming for us, so I am very happy.”
It is clear that Aleix Espargaró is already a strong contender for the title, with his four podiums and the first victory of his career in the World Championship, but the Aprilia rider prefers to continue taking things easy and not let such sudden success get to him. go up to the head
“I have my own roadmap. I’m calm and happy. Although it gets closer and I reconfirm myself, I don’t care about the future, I have to enjoy the present”.
“At Mugello Aprilia will bring new things, so I’m happy,” he concluded.
