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MotoGP, Espargaró: The podium? We need a better engine

Brilliant race for the number 41 Aprilia, sixth today in Aragón: "My target is to beat the other factory riders"

MotoGP: Espargaró: The podium? We need a better engine

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For Aleix Espargaró, the Motorland di Aragón race was the best of the season astride the Aprilia RS-GP, a bike that, in the hands of the twenty-eight year old Spaniard shows significant improvements on every outing.

The rider from Granollers battled hard and with confidence today in the group with the best, laying down his arms only in the finale to Viñales and Rossi, but beating Dovizioso and his Ducati: “This was the best race of the season with Aprilia. I had fun riding - Aleix is pleased - At the beginning I had a bad start, but I was able to recover positions easily. When I was in the group with the two factory Yamahas and Pedrosa and Dovizioso, I waited a bit to attack, thinking that my rivals’ rear tyres would wear, but that didn’t happen; so I battled with Viñales, who managed his tyres very well, and I also yielded to Valentino Rossi, right at the end. I am a little bit disappointed about that.”

After these improvements, what is your target?

It is still difficult for us to battle for the podium against Yamaha and Honda, but we want to get there because we are really close to them. When one of the factory bikes has a problem - like Dovizioso today - we can even stay ahead of them. I want to beat other factory bikes. I am an ambitious rider and I have given 100% every year, but this project with Aprilia is something more and I am personally involved in it. I will keep working hard. The RS-GP is not the best in MotoGP right now, but it is the best bike that I have ever ridden in my career. I want to make it onto the podium.”

What are you lacking?

“Something in the engine. This bike is fantastic. It suits my riding style perfectly, so much that I need to be careful on the corners because of how fast it is, super fast. I have a great feeling with the front end of the RS-GP, but we need to improve the engine. The engineers know that and when we have a more advanced and higher performance engine, we will really be able to battle for something important.”

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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