Aleix Espargaró greeted the audience early and ran out of podiums at the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix. Photo: EFE / Enric Fontcuberta.
A beginner’s mistake. The Catalan Grand Prix MotoGPthe queen category of world motorcycling, delivered this Sunday an unusual definitionwhich characterized the Spaniards Aleix Espargarò (Aprilia), who competed in front of his audience since he was born a few kilometers from the Montmeló circuit.
What happened? Espargaró started waving and raising his arms as he crossed the main straight, while fans cheered him for being in third place and ended a great weekend, not being able to do much against the winner, the reigning world champion. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha).
French rider Fabio Quartararo rejoices on the podium after winning the MotoGP Grand Prix of Catalonia. Photo: EFE / Andreu Dalmau.
But the truth is that still one lap was missing. Espargaró believed that the race was over and his deceleration allowed the Frenchman Giovanni Zarco get over it Finished fifth in the standings.
Arrived in the pits, Espargaró she was crying in the cornerhiding from the cameras thanks to the members of his team, to whom he apologized for the mistake.
“He is desperate. There is nothing more to say and we want to respect his moment. There is no way to make accusations or try to understand what happened. Now he has to stay calm.”Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola said about Espargaró, who started from pole position.
For Espargaró, this race had to be there ‘his’ Grand Prix and victory seemed to be on the way. The native of Granollers, a few kilometers from the Montmeló circuit, had started the weekend in the best way until the finish of the race.
Dominant in free practice on Friday and Saturday, the Catalan, who started from pole, had even set two track records, first in the third free practice session, before improving in the standings.
This Sunday, despite having immediately left the first place in the race to rival Quartararo, the Aprilia rider fought an interesting battle for second place with his compatriot Giorgio Martinountil he celebrated this podium too soon at the Circuit de Catalunya.
“I made a terrible mistake (…), I’m very sorry”Espargaró declared after the match.
“I’m very sad (…) it’s a big mistake, you can’t afford a mistake like that in MotoGP and even less fight for a championship”completed, in statements to the DAZN platform.
Espargaró continues to be an escort anyway in the season, but with 125 points22 less than Quartararo.
In third place in the World Cup follows the Italian Enea Bastianini (Ducati), which accumulates 94 units despite having been the protagonist of his second consecutive retirement.
Also his compatriot Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), who had just won the Italian GP and is now fifth with 81 points, ten fewer than Zarco, is gone.
Source: Clarin