Aleix Espargaró was once again a prophet in his homeland with a historic double for Aprilia. After winning the Sprint against Pecco Bagnaia on Saturday, the driver from Granollers prevailed with authority in the Sunday race of the Catalunya GP over his teammate Maverick Viñales, in a race marked by multiple crashes at the start, being run over by Bagnaia and the Enea Bastianini injury.
It is the first victory for Aleix Espargaró on his home track, where he had already achieved his first pole position in 2015 with Suzuki, and the third in his record in MotoGP.
With a total of 37 points from the Catalan weekend, the Aprilia rider climbed from 7th to 5th place and is close to 106 points behind the Bagnaia lead.
Aleix Espargaró had his objective very clear since he arrived in Montmeló: "My objective is to fight for victory; this year we have to be ahead." And this was demonstrated from the first training sessions on Friday, which he led.
He had to make up for last year's fiasco, when a mix-up with the Circuit's lap marker made him celebrate his second place one lap before the checkered flag, so he finished fifth. "I don't have a thorn in my head," he said, but he had to redeem himself from that mistake that they always reminded him of.
On Saturday he crushed in the Sprint, ate Bagnaia, and in the Sunday race he once again imposed his authority and his best, devastating pace, ahead of his friend and teammate Viñales, who had led almost the entire event.
After everyone had recovered from the shock of the multiple accident and the red flag at the start, and with the hole left by Bagnaia on the grid, it was Martín who took command in the first corners. It didn't last long, because the Aprilias had better pace. Viñales took the initiative and Aleix soon joined, in the third lap, to follow his partner and both escape.
The man from Granollers was enduring the entire race behind Maverick, who did all the wear and tear. Until on lap 20, with four to go, Aleix hacked him: aggressively, to the limit, he braked harder at turn 1 and passed cleanly to take the lead and ride to his first home win. the second of the year and the third of his record.
The podium was closed, a Spanish triplet, by Jorge Martín, who did not have enough pace to get close to the Aprilia, although Oliveira did not worry him. The man from Madrid has 16 points, is close to Bagnaia's 50, and feeds his options to fight for the World Cup, waiting for the extent of the injuries to the Italian Ducati rider.
Aleix Espargaró celebrated with euphoria with his family his first victory at home, the second victory in the last three Sunday races. The Catalan received the winner's trophy from the President of the Generalitat and his children, Max and Mia.
“It was a very special victory, I suffered a lot and I was very scared when I saw Pecco's accident, I arrived very tense and very nervous at the box. I did not want to finish second, I have removed all possible traction control and I have done 20 minutes of time attack ”, explained Aleix in Dazn.
