Pol Espargaró reflects on second win of 2009

After his last lap heartbreak at Misano Pol Espargaró bounced back in style at Estoril with a highly mature performance which saw him secure victory right in the final stages as he pulled away from Sandro Cortese and Bradley Smith on the last lap.

Indeed, had the young Spaniard not been taken out on the last lap at Misano at the beginning of September he would probably have achieved three consecutive wins – having got his maiden career victory at Indianapolis at the previous round.

Nonetheless, Espargaró’s bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal triumph has put him back in a highly positive frame of mind ahead of the last three races of the year. “I was really happy to win at Estoril as it has allowed me to put Misano out of my mind,” he remarked.

“Winning at Indianapolis was a special feeling, as it was my first victory, but another win has proved I can stay at the top on a regular basis. If I started a season like this I know I could aspire to be a World Champion.”

Regarding the strategy he so successfully employed in Portugal he stated, “I think I rode more intelligently than anyone else and played my cards better than any of my rivals. Once I saw Julián Simón crash I realised I had a big chance. Then I was trying to out-think Cortese and Smith with the lines I was taking and the braking points I was using in order to set myself up for the last lap, and it worked perfectly.”

“In the final part of the season I just want to keep working hard and if possible to fight for second place in the standings,” concluded Espragaró.