Espargaró: "It's impossible to be closer to the Ducati"

August 20, 2022

The Spaniard is the closest pursuer of Fabio Quartararo in the general table – he is 22 points behind the World Championship leader – and the rider with the most options to prevent the current world champion from revalidating the title.

In Austria, however, Aleix Espargaró’s feelings are not as favorable as those that led him to be considered the favorite to win in the last two rounds, both at Assen and Silverstone.

Like most of the grid, the eldest of the brothers from Granollers (Barcelona) is aware that, on paper, the victory will be between the Ducati riders. Despite starting ninth, his worst starting position since testing at Austin back in April, the #41 believes he will have a chance of finishing in the top five. Anything that is crossing the finish line further back will be seen as a step backwards in your aspirations.

“Anything outside the top five is a good result, but if Pecco Bagnaia finishes fourth, Fabio falls and I finish seventh, well that would be a good result. You have to be patient,” Espargaró summed up, convinced that this is an end of week to get through, in the best way possible, before focusing on others where you can go on the attack.

“There are circuits in which the Aprilia does not adapt one thousand percent, but later other tracks will come, such as Aragón or Australia , in which everyone will be behind us”, predicted the Catalan, who, yes, does not hide the brutal potential exhibited on this stage by the Desmosedici, who will win the first four places on the grid after dominating all the rehearsal sessions.

“I am only two tenths behind them and it is impossible to be closer. The Aprilia is not bad at all; the problem is that the Ducati are stratospheric here. All their riders go fast with that bike. But this is MotoGP and anything can happen. At Silverstone, a priori Bagnaia did not have the necessary pace to ride at the front, but he had an incredible race and won,” Espargaró concluded.

Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Team