On Oct. 29, 2024, floods devastated much of Valencia province, killing more than 200 people and destroying the properties and projects of tens of thousands. Team Aspar, based near the epicenter of the tragedy, was in Malaysia in those days to participate in the penultimate race of the season, where not even David Alonso's victory managed to crack a smile in what was the most difficult week of their lives.
Team Aspar and the Ángel Nieto Foundation launched a GoFundMe campaign just a couple of days after the disaster to help those most in need. More than 2,300 donations were received, and with direct contributions received from World Championship teams, riders, sponsors and facilities like Rocco's Ranch, 300,000 euros were raised.
With the campaign still ongoing in those days, the team got to work and contacted a local furniture store in Algemesí and the multinational appliance company Cecotec to arrange delivery of the aid to families in Algemesí and Guadassuar. With packages worth between 1,000 and 1,500 euros in each of the stores, more than 220 families in these two towns have been able to recover a small material part of their pre-disaster lives, although much remains to be done.
Jorge 'Aspar' Martínez, CEO of the team, explained, "We had to do something. We knew it from the beginning: we couldn't stand by and watch the disaster unfold on our doorstep, in a land that we love so much and that has given us so much. I want to thank the more than 2,300 people who donated money to our campaign, most of them anonymously, but also the team sponsors, MotoGP riders, World Championship teams and sports organizations for their commitment to helping us. Likewise, I thank all the thousands of volunteers who left the comfort of their homes to help rebuild our cities. It's something we'll never forget."