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The Barcelona round will represent more than just the last day of school before vacation for Aleix Espargaro. The Spanish rider will mark the end of a journey and the beginning of his new career as a Honda test rider.
"Impossible not to think that it's going to be my last race weekend. I remember when we came here in May. The press conference on Thursday with the announcement of my retirement was very emotional. Then, starting on Friday, everything went back to normal. This time, however, will be special. Last night, when I arrived at the circuit with my wife, I felt a strange feeling. I've always considered Valencia more of a party than a GP so, just being here instead of at the Ricardo Tormo, feels abnormal. However, the track is the best place in the world for me. I hope to be able to raise a lot of money for the people affected by the floods, put on a good show, and entertain everyone," he said on the eve of the race.
The determination to end on a positive note is there and it's clear: "It's going to be difficult to stay focused but, at the same time, I've prepared well, as never before, so that I can be competitive right away and fight for victory. The first weekend here, I was a bit obsessed, but now I want to have fun and have no regrets, since it's going to be the last time I'll be riding the Aprilia. I'd like to fight for success but, whatever happens, you'll see me smiling, because I know I'll miss my mechanics and the bike afterwards, so I want to enjoy it. Is first place realistic? Yes, both in the sprint and in the race."
Despite finishing fourth in the spring, 10 seconds behind the winner, Pecco's feelings are positive: "I have confidence because, in May, we raced with the hard compound on the front, which I won't be using because of the lower temperatures, preferring instead the soft, with which I reached the lap record and was very fast. Clearly, it's going to be difficult because the Ducatis are flying."
Finally, when asked what he'd prefer between his own victory and the title for his friend Martin, he replied convincingly: "I consider Jorge like a son and my priority is for him to do it. Obviously, if he seals the deal on Saturday, he could help me a bit on Sunday, as long as it doesn't happen like in the last events when he and Bagnaia disappeared from the start, denying any chance to the others. So, I hope he can win in the sprint, so we can have a more relaxed grand prix with more chances. For me, it would be crazy to be able to fight but, like said, if Martin hadn't yet won the world championship, then it would be different."
