Espargaro aces Catalan Grand Prix

Just when it looked as if Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) might make history by becoming the first-ever rider to win a premier-class race with three different manufacturers, teammate and fellow Spaniard Aleix Espargaro spoiled the party when he passed him for the lead with three laps to go in the 2023 Catalan Grand Prix.

History of a different kind was made though, with the result making it the first-ever double podium finish for Aprilia in the premier class in a full-length grand prix, a feat it achieved with a one-two result ahead of Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin.

It wasn’t all smiles, however, after two dramatic incidents in the first two corners of the race brought out the red flags and forced a restart. The first was a Turn 1 pile-up instigated by an ambitious start from Enea Bastianini (Team Lenovo Ducati) from 11th on the grid, who clipped the rear wheel of Johann Zarco’s Pramac Ducati and skittled five riders. But before onlookers had time to comprehend the carnage, holeshot getter, pole man, and Bastianini’s teammate, Pecco Bagnaia, high-sided violently out of Turn 2 and was struck by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM), leaving the championship leader stricken on the circuit as the rest of the field scrambled to get their machines back to pitlane in time for the restart.

Shortened by one lap, every rider bar the two factory Ducati men, who were both in the medical centre following the spills, made the grid for the restarted 23-lap grand prix, albeit with title contenders Binder and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Ducati) forced to race on tyres unsuitable for the conditions after running out of their preferred option in their allocation.

It was an enormous opportunity for Martin, who arrived in Barcelona with a 66-point deficit to reigning world champ Bagnaia. Looking to make the most of it, the Spaniard nabbed the holeshot from the two Aprilia men with RNF Aprilia rider Miguel Oliveira making three RS-GPs in the top four. Zarco was fifth ahead Aussie Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM).

Some uncharacteristic early aggression from Vinales saw him ease past Martin for the lead on that frantic opening lap, with Espargaro mirroring his move two laps later to move into second. And by lap four, Oliveira delighted Aprilia fans when he relegated the Spaniard to fourth, making it an all-Aprilia top three. It remained that way until lap 10, when Martin found his way back through on the Portuguese rider, by which time the two factory riders were already two seconds up the road, Vinales himself with a healthy lead of 1.3sec over his teammate.

But Espargaro had shown superior pace all weekend and he put it to good use. By lap 14 the gap was down to one second. He reduced it to half a second by lap 17, with the race-winning move coming just three laps later, sending Vinales wide as the pair struggled with severe tyre wear in the hot but windy conditions.

Behind them, Zarco got through on Oliveira for fourth place, while the battle for sixth, albeit 10 seconds behind the leaders, was won by Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati). Monster Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo was the best-performing rider on a Japanese bike in seventh, having passed Miller for the spot on the 17th lap, with rookie Augusto Fernandez (GasGas Tech3) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Ducati) rounding out the top 10.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Ducati) eventually found a way past teammate Bezzecchi in the closing stages for 11th, while Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Yamaha) and the three remaining Honda men – Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu LCR), Iker Lecuono (LCR) and Joan Mir (Repsol) – brought up the rear.

It was an incredible weekend for Aleix Espargaro, and one he needed after relinquishing a second-place finish this time last year when he miscounted the number of race laps. He qualified in the middle of the front row and beat Bagnaia and Vinales to the Sprint race win on Saturday, before topping it off with the full-length GP victory the following day.

“I’m speechless,” he said after the race. “The first thing I want to say is that I’m really, really happy nothing happened today on that first lap; [it’s] lucky that Pecco is nothing really serious [in terms of injury]. This win is for him.”

A strong start to the season means Bagnaia still sits two race wins clear of Martin in the standings, 260 points versus 210, with Bezzecchi (189) 71 points adrift in third. Binder (166), who along with Pol Espargaro (GasGas Tech3) and Raul Fernandez (RNF Aprilia) retired with technical issues, stays in fourth ahead of Aleix Espargaro (154). Miller (104) drops one place to ninth.

In Moto2, Britain’s Jake Dixon (GasGas Aspar) claimed top honours from Spain’s Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) and fellow Spaniard, Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo). In the standings, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) leads with 186 points from ELF Marc VDS Racing’s Tony Arbolino (164) and Jake Dixon (142).

In Moto3, Columbia’s David Alonso (GasGas Aspar) took the win ahead of Spain’s Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and fellow Spaniard, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The Moto3 Championship is currently led by Spain’s Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) on 161 points, ahead of Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) on 148 and Jaume Masia (129).

The MotoGP Championship now heads to the Misano circuit at San Marino for the San Marino Grand Prix on Sunday, September 10.