Espargaró: "Out of respect, in Barcelona my future must be decided"

Le Mans.- The rider from Granollers has joined the front row of the starting grid and with a bike that nobody wanted a year ago and was the real ugly duckling in the category, Aleix Espargaró has become a race winner and a driver who is constantly fighting for the podiums, the top positions and who is fully involved in the fight for the championship.

Despite this spectacular transformation of the bike, which only goes so well in his hands, Aprilia continues to refuse to present the Spaniard with an offer with a face and eyes for the renewal, and with the rider market completely open and some top riders looking for a seat by 2023, Aleix is running out of patience.

When the man from Granollers was asked about his future at the pole press conference this Saturday, the answer was laconic.

“I don’t know what to tell you, it’s not up to me, the situation makes me a little sad, but I’m not going to be here waiting forever,” he said.

A position that leads us to think that the pilot can consider a deadline to decide his future.

“I have not thought about a deadline, but it cannot go beyond Mugello (May 29), in Barcelona (June 5) my future will be clarified, we have interesting things,” he assured.

“It’s not that I’m in a hurry, because time plays in my favor, in each race I’m stronger and I’m still fighting for the championship, it’s more a matter of respect, in Barcelona my future must be clear”, insisted Aleix, who has six years breaking stone in the garage of Noale’s house.

On the sporting front, for the fourth time this season, Espargaró will start from the front row of the grid at the French Grand Prix.

“Consistency is very important on Sundays if you want to fight for the championship, but at the same time you have to be fast and that shows on Saturdays. Four front rows and three in a row for a driver is very important because it means you are fast.”

And more so in this category today, where it has become clear that to qualify for the podium you must start from the first two rows, third at most.

“It is very difficult to get to the front if you go wrong on the grid, you have to play a lot in the first three or four corners, but the rule is that in 95% of cases if you don’t start from the front it is almost impossible, the pressures skyrocket and temperatures, everyone runs and brakes late.

“In terms of pace we are good, quite even with the two official Ducati and with Fabio Quartararo, I think we are the strongest four, so we will have to decide the rear tire well for the race and see what happens with the mythical climate of Le Mans, Let’s see if we get up with rain”.

Aleix hopes to get a good start on the Aprilia and not have to dodge traffic.

“The track has some overtaking points, the problem is how the bikes react, the problem is getting closer to the one in front, because you run the risk of going to the ground, we see it in every race, braking two meters further on you can fall and take in front of another driver”.

Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Team, Romano Albesiano, Massimo Rivola