Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) had a tough Saturday at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, with some crashes, and the race didn’t see a big upturn in fortunes for the Granollers native as he was forced into a pit stop to change the front tyre after the situation became unmanageable.
Then able to keep his expected pace, Espargaro rejoining meant at least more track time for the Noale factory, with the next stop Mugello for a test ahead of the Spanish GP next time out.
Aleix Espargaro, P17: "From the first laps I had a bad feeling with the front tyre. I kept losing it. I thought maybe it was because of the full tank, but things got worse lap after lap, so much that at a certain point I was no longer riding but just trying not to crash. Making a pit stop is always the last thought for me. It seems like a lack of respect for the work my team has done, but today I had no choice. When I re-joined with a new tyre, I lapped at my own pace without pushing, with the times we had expected. Now I want to forget this weekend quickly. In two days we will be on the track at Mugello to continue working and to be ready for the European races."