Aleix Espargaro He will end his career as an official MotoGP rider in his “favorite place in the world”, Montmeló. However, this Barcelona Solidarity Grand Prix is marked by the fight for the title between his friend Jorge Martinwhom he loves “like my children”, and Pecco Bagnaia. The Catalan did not hesitate to choose between winning his last race here or the title of Martinateur.
When asked, Aleix Espargaro He didn’t even let it finish: “Jorge’s Title”answered without any hesitation before the question was finished and then explained his reasons: “Because a title is a titleeither. A MotoGP world title is impressive and I love Jorge just like I love my children.. I’ve won here before and he’s never won a MotoGP world title, so there’s not much to add.
Regarding how he saw his friend, the World Cup leader, in recent days, he commented: “Good, good. He’s been very focused to prepare, he asked a lot of questions, we watched a lot of training videos and I’ve been really fast here the last few years, so a few questions on some corners and the guy is super focused. . The only thing I can tell you is not to change anything.because everything he did brought him here. Even though it sounds cliché and considering the pressure and tension you’re feeling, which I know, enjoy it, I know it sounds very magical and you are very lucky to be able to experience this weekend. It is something very unique and we must take advantage of it as much as possible from today at eight in the morning until Sunday when we celebrate it.
“What hasn’t changed is his explosiveness. He’s still a very explosive guy, very fast on a lap and it’s good not to lose that, he’s very good, and it’s true that during his racing career there are drivers who are still very nervous, but I see Jorge that he has matured a lot. I see that made a very big jump from 2023 to 2024he seems much calmer, more thoughtful and, although he doesn’t show it when speaking, he seems to have an impressive and incredible self-confidence. He does things and believes in them in a way that wasn’t the case in the past, and that helped him a lot to fight for this title,” added Aleix.
As for whether Martín should run with Bagnaia or himself in mind, his response was clear: “You shouldn’t change anything that brought you here. The proof of this, and that’s why I say the confidence he has in himself and his concentration, is the race in Malaysia, in which everyone suffered a lot because of all the overtaking by Pecco, but he was doing what he wanted. It’s worked for him so far, until at one point he said “we have to take points”. As so far he has made fewer mistakes than Pecco, I think that the Barcelona weekend, in my humble opinion, must start in the same way, thinking about victory. Then, at the start of the race, depending on the sensations, he must be aware that he has a cushion that Pecco does not have, but what brought him this far, I would not touch.
The Last Dance of Aleix Esgaró
For Aleix Espargaró, this will be the last Grand Prix as an official driver. It was precisely on this same route, on a Thursday in May, that he announced his retirement. Comparing that moment with this one, he recognized that the one in May “It was very emotional for me Thursday morning. at the press conferencebut it was a normal weekend. I was very focused, I tried to win and take pole and it’s really going to be very emotional because every time I get on the bike I’m going to think it’s the last practice session free, the last qualifying session, the last sprint that I will do, perhaps in my life, because you never know what the future has in store for us, but I am sure that you will do it from the RS-GP, which gave everything for me and my family, this whole group of people with this bike. This weekend is going to be very, very special“.
When asked what it would mean saying goodbye to home with a victory, he admitted that “it would be brutal and it sounds very, very good. Imagine that on Saturday Jorge can win the MotoGP World Championship and that on Sunday he no longer goes so fast and lets me win the race. It would be a dream, but honestly, I’m going to work my hardest to achieve it, to try to win, but what I want is to smile at every lap of my last grand prix. Nothing is going to change, I’ve been in MotoGP for eight years, 380 races, so the last one has to be special and I have fun. The result? Of course, I will work to win, but that’s not the most important thing.”
As for whether he is sad because it’s his last race, the Catalan replied: “No, no. I feel a little melancholic yesalso a bit of a strange feeling. In fact, last night I entered the circuit with my wife and it is without a doubt my favorite place in the world, but it was a bit of a strange feeling, because I say that after twenty years of championship, the last race is always a party. and it’s still in Valencia, so being here is a bit strange. There are a lot of things on the table this weekend and it’s going to be very emotional, so I’m going to try to put on a good show and, above all, raise a lot of money for the victims of Valencia and, in my case, that will obviously be very special because “It will be the last time I drive the RS-GP.”
Martin, with the Aprilia
Once the Grand Prix is over, another special moment will come for Aleix Espargaró, when Jorge Martín will ride his Aprilia during the first pre-season tests. Aleix is particularly excited to see his friend debut on the Aprilia: “You can’t believe it. Amazing, very, very, very much. I hope it’s to be world championThe only downside is that I will have to ride as a Honda tester and I will ask to start a little later so I can be in the box when it starts and see it. Not only because he’s going to take my bike, but because of the whole human group that I’ve created over the last eight years that’s going to be with him and I’m particularly excited.
Finally, they asked him if he had asked Martín to take the 1 to Aprilia if he became MotoGP world champion, but he didn’t want to reveal anything: “On Sunday I will tell you everything”. Although, when they insisted, the Catalan couldn’t hide that he would love it: “Yes, of course.”
