«My head tells me that I am still very fast, and I can fight with the best. But my heart asks me to stay at home, close to my wife and children”: Aleix Espargarówhich was born 34 years ago a few kilometers from the circuit Barcelona and in less than 2 months he will turn 35, he retires at the end of the season. The announcement, amidst sincere applause from the paddock, came this afternoon. The pilot ofOfficial Aprilia with the Noale bike – between 2022 and 2023 – he achieved the 3 successes of his career in MotoGP. Smiling, he launched a proposal on the eve of the Catalan weekend: «Maybe the other drivers will let me win this weekend, it would be a nice farewell gift!». But he will get the real gift after the last event in Valencia, in mid-November when he will be able to dedicate himself completely to wife Laura and ai twins Max and Mia (they’ll be 6 years old next week). «The last few seasons in Aprilia have been a dream, I prefer to retire now that I feel at my best: it wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right time. All the riders around me have a great desire to get on the track: I was like them too, until recently. But now I realized that the desire to spend my time with my family has become stronger.” Will he stop forever or become a test driver? «It’s too early to say. Today I just want to have fun riding until the end of the championship.” He confesses that in 2018 he was about to retire. «Then my wife convinced me not to give up. And in Argentina 2 years ago, on the day of my first victory, I experienced a truly special joy.”
Martin in tears: «For me he is like a brother»
Jorge Martin, world championship leader, burst into tears at Aleix’s words: «For me he represents more than a friend: he is an older brother, almost a father. I’ve been a fan of him for more than 10 years, I spend a lot of time with him and his beautiful family: I’m happy, because I know that Aleix will be happy.” With this announcement, a space is officially freed up in the Noale garage, next to Viñales. Who will take his place? The answer will come in a couple of weeks, when Gigi Dall’Igna will compose the very complicated mosaic Ducati of 2025. The director of the Racing Department must choose Bagnaia’s future partner, the candidates are always those 3: Martinator, who in the event of rejection will leave Borgo Panigale; Marc Marquezwho wants an official Red at all costs; Enea Bastianini, Pecco’s current partner, who dreams of reconfirmation. «But I don’t think Gigi will decide based on the results of the next races. I have proven that I am worthy of the official team: I will continue to give my best, but I can’t have control of everything”, comments Jorge.
MotoGP, Barcelona: Marc Marquez, the home garden to return to victory
by Massimo Calandri
May 23, 2024
Marquez favorite? «I will have to change my driving style»
Everyone considers Marquez to be the favorite on this track, the Cannibal puts his hands first: «I can express myself better on the stop and go circuits, here the mileage counts more. But I can adapt my driving style. I feel strong and competitive, compared to those two (Martin and Bagnaia) I lack consistency. I will try to do my best, with the material available. From next season, however, I want an official Ducati.” Marketing also plays in favor of the Catalan. In short, everything suggests that the first failed – and therefore destined for Aprila, with which his manager Carlo Pernat has been making contacts for some time – both Bastianini: Noale is a nice alternative, but with the Ducati I continue to improve and I hope so a bit. Here in Barcelona last year it didn’t go well, I hope to make up for it.”
Bagnaia: «Aprilia favorite. I hope to make at least 3 turns”
Last year at Montmelò it had gone terribly badly for poor Bagnaia: a terrible tumble, the KTM of Binder it had passed over their legs, which had risked making them lose the world championship. «It was one of the worst accidents of my career. But that’s a thing of the past, it won’t have any repercussions on the weekend. The Aprilias are favored on this track. I never scored many points in Barcelona, but last season I did really well: this time we hope to at least manage to make 3 corners (he crashed at the second, ed.). Perhaps the new bike can help us: we will have more mileage.”
