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Aleix Espargarò arrived at Mugello on the wings of enthusiasm for what he did in Barcelona. The Spanish rider is ready for the Italian GP, and everyone's definitely curious to see what he's going to accomplish. On the one hand, there's the challenge on the track. On the other, there's his future. And, finally, who's going to pick up his baton riding the RS-GP next season?
"I'm very happy to be back on the track right away," he began. "It's going to be a very important weekend on a nice tough track. My brother Pol will be there, and I'm looking forward to seeing him back on the track after a long time. I wish him all the best. I know that he was very fast in the Jerez tests, and I hope he can be fast again this weekend."
Savadori will also be on the track. Have you spoken with him?
"Not yet, because I'll see him later during the technical meeting. When he tested in Barcelona, he brought some important changes, especially in braking, since the RS-GP24 is better compared to last season's in braking. However, we're missing something in fast corners, but we'll see how it goes
You announced your farewell to racing last week. Where will we see you in 2025?
"I don't like to talk about my future now, because my priority is to continue the season, having fun with the RS-GP. I'll then have time to think about it, considering that I'm not even thinking about 2025 that much. Even if you're in the best place in the world like Aprilia, you still need to find new challenges and motivation."
What qualities should the right replacement for Espargarò have?
"If you want to be the new captain in Aprilia, you have to be hungry. Being number one means wanting to win and chasing that ambition, proving your strong. In the end, that's how it is! The more you win, the more you want to win."
What will you think if your replacement comes to Aprilia wearing the #1? (A clear reference to Jorge Martin, current World Championship leader).
"It would be something singular, a dream, to win the title with a team and bring him to a great team like Aprilia wearing the number one. But ninety-nine percent, however, I don't think this will happen."
There's talk about Enea. What do you think?
"He's a fast rider, as is Bezzecchi. Marco is strong. He's been racing in the MotoGP for several years, and he could be an interesting alternative, since he's hungry. I think having an Italian rider would be nice."
What does little Mia say about your retirement?
"Mia is very happy. In fact, she likes to spend time at home or in the motorhome, since she doesn't like to be around people much. But she likes the atmosphere in the paddock. She cried when I told her I was going to retire. She almost wanted me to continue. So I told her that I could do some races next year, and she was happy. We'll see. Only the present matters now."
