Aprilia and Aleix Espargaro take their first ever MotoGP win together in Argentina: One personnel in particular played a role in the upward trend
Aleix Espargaro is a Grand Prix winner! The 32-year-old Spaniard crowns his long career in the World Motorcycle Championship with his first victory at the 2022 Argentine GP at Termas de Rio Hondo, and in his 200th MotoGP race. But that’s not all, as Espargaro also redeems his employer Aprilia.
For the Italian manufacturer it is the 295th success in the world championship, but the very first in the premier class! It almost didn’t happen at all, because all those years in the back have left their mark. “I had no energy. The tank was completely empty,” Espargaro recalls of his emotional state during the 2018/19 winter break.
“I said to my wife: ‘I can’t go on, I’m not enjoying it. I’m still young, let’s try something else.’ She helped me a lot,” Espargaro thanks her for her support during this tough time. And during this time, decisive things have also happened at Aprilia, according to Espargaro: “The arrival of Massimo Rivola has changed everything. ”
Massimo Rivola was the gamechanger at Aprilia
Rivola’s signing was officially announced by the Noale-based manufacturer just days before Christmas 2018. The Italian brought know-how from Formula 1, where he had worked for Ferrari as sports director, among others. He was brought in as race director and thus relieved Romano Albesiano. A change that initiated Aprilia’s rise.
DREAM ACHIEVED! 🙌
200 premier class starts later and @AleixEspargaro officially joins the elite! 🥇#ArgentinaGP 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/NrrWW8KS4m
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 3, 2022
“In the past, Romano was in control of almost everything. Massimo changed a little bit the organisational structure and the way of working in Noale. Romano started to focus more on the development of the bike. He is the father of the bike and proved that he is a very good engineer,” explains Espargaro.
After that, it was a gradual progression for Aprilia. Year after year, the RS-GP was significantly revised until the first successes finally came last year. At Silverstone, Espargaro took the first premier class podium for the Italians since Jeremy McWilliams was third in the rain race at Donington in 2000.
Aleix Espargaro: Current bike the best of career
The upward trend continued. Already at the 2022 winter tests Espargaro remarked that “I have the best bike in my whole career. Of course, it is still very difficult to assess whether it will be enough for top 10, top 5 or victory. But we have been close to the top in all the tests, and I felt strong in Qatar as well. ”
Espargaro finished fourth in the season opener, but it was here that the next milestone was reached: never before had the gap to the winner been smaller than at the 2022 Qatar GP. At Termas de Rio Hondo Espargaro went one better, taking Aprilia’s first pole position in the premier class since Jeremy McWilliams at Phillip Island in 2000.
And now came the first victory ever for the Italians in the highest category of motorbike racing. A success that was achieved cleanly and was not favoured by fortunate circumstances. “Yesterday we already proved that we are the fastest in qualifying, and today in the race as well. Now we are leading and it’s like a dream,” enthused Espargaro.
“MotoGP win doesn’t change so much in my life “
An Aprilia rider at the top of the standings – another historic note from this race Sunday in Argentina. And that should have been just the beginning. “If we don’t make any mistakes, we will fight for wins and podiums every weekend and I will give my best,” Espargaro already announced.
But the Spaniard is also thinking about the big picture: “I’m very happy, but I’m already thinking about America, Portimao, Jerez, because I’d like to take the momentum with me.” Austin in particular, a “difficult track” according to Espargaro, still has some catching up to do. Since Espargaro switched to Aprilia in 2017, he has finished tenth and 17th in four races there, as well as two retirements.
This is another reason why the Spaniard stressed after his victory that they would now definitely keep their feet on the ground. He now seems at peace with himself due to the many hard years and the support of his family when he says: “My profession is my passion, I have a fantastic family, I have everything a man can dream of. That’s why winning honestly doesn’t change that much in my life. “