MotoGP Argentina: Espargaro ‘proud but it’s just Saturday’

Aleix Espargaro secured Aprilia’s first MotoGP pole position in two decades on Saturday for the Argentina GP, securing one of the Noale factory’s two coveted goals in the progression of its modern project.

While the race win is yet to come, Espargaro’s confidence and pace across all of Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions at Termas de Rio Hondo leaves little doubt that it will arrive, and if he gets his way, sooner rather than later.

“I’m very happy, especially proud of what we are achieving,” Espargaro admitted from Argentina’s qualifying press conference. “It’s my sixth season in Aprilia and I know how far we come from and I know how I suffer. So today to prove that at least today we did the fastest bike in the world is something that makes me happy.

“I know it’s not super important because the points will come tomorrow but for a rider to feel the speed, to feel that you are the fastest one, it’s always great. It’s the first one for Aprilia. So it’s a very nice moment. So I would like to dedicate this pole position to everybody involved to the MotoGP project, not just on track but also at Noale. So I’m very happy and this is my present to everybody from Aprilia.”

While the pole position marks a fundamental step in the Aprilia project, it’s also a significant moment for the Catalan, with Espargaro making MotoGP history as the first rider to claim three pole positions on three different manufacturers, after his early success with both Forward Racing Yamaha and Suzuki Ecstar, in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

“Yeah, I’m happy, I’m satisfied,” he confirmed, “but sincerely for the rider is nice to be fast on Saturday - because the feeling you get on that lap is always special, is great to do to feel the adrenaline, the