- 2024-05-26
-
SPORTS
-
MotoGP Catalan GP: Aleix Espargaro Takes Pole Position & Wins Sprint Race in Catalunya
The Round 6 of MotoGP 2024, Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya took place at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Montmeló, Spain on May 25, 2024.
Before the event, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) announced that he will retire from MotoGP at the end of the current campaign.
A three-time MotoGP race winner including twice in Catalunya last season, he made the decision ahead of his home round in Barcelona.
In Qualifying, Aleix Espargaro took his first pole position of the season after announcing his retirement at the end of this year.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) was 2nd behind Aleix Espargaro by just 0.031s. He lost his best lap, a 'pole' time of 1m 38.128s, to yellow flags.
Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) was 3rd, this marks his best result of the season.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM0), rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), and Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) will start on the second row.
Title leader Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) crashed at Turn 2 with just over two minutes to go, finally finished 7th.
Following Jorge Martin, Alex Rins (Monster Yamaha) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) were 8th and 9th, respectively.
Aleix Espargaro said, “the best of my life. I don't have 100 pole position in my career, so even if it's just one Saturday at my home GP it's amazing to achieve the pole and especially fighting with Pecco [Bagnaia], because with the first tyre the time he proposed was amazing. When I came back to the garage I said, 'oh my God, with the first tyre at 1m38.2s, we're going to have to go 1m37s'. And with the second tyre I made many mistakes on the first flying lap and on the second flying lap it was probably the best lap of my life.”- In the Sprint Race, poleman Aleix Espargaro claimed his first victory of the Sprint Race after Francesco Bagnaia crashed out of the lead at Turn 5 on the last lap of 12.
Francesco Bagnaia led the race, and everyone thought they would see his first victory of the Sprint Race, but he crashed out on the last lap.
Marc Marquez (Gresini Ducati) started just 14th after failing to progress past Qualifying 1, but moved up and passed Pedro Acosta on the final lap to take 2nd place.
Pedro Acosta finished third, taking his second podium of the season on his birthday.
Title leader Jorge Martin was 4th ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo), who came from 11th to 5th.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) was 6th , with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM), Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati) rounding out the top nine to take the last points.
- Aleix Espargaro said, “I said on Thursday that at 80% of the tracks you can go full gas. But there are a few tracks where it's not just about speed. I could have gone as fast as them, at the beginning. After a bad start, I said to myself 'they are over the limit'. They were using a lot of the front and the rear. I could see from behind. I said to myself 'either crash or they will destroy the front and the rear tyre so you will have options at the end'. I was right. I was trying not to overtake. I could maintain their pace. I analysed everybody's pace - I was the only one who proved I could go under 39.5 for a couple of laps. They were doing that lap which means they were over the limit. If I tried to overtake, I would have been over the limit. So I said 'wait for five laps'. When the grip drops I would have the possibility to attack. I attacked Jorge Martin, then Pedro Acosta, then everybody started to crash. Sometimes, to have experience, it pays off! Unbelievable. After a difficult race where you are focused. When you ride at the limit you don't know if you are here, or in China. You are fully focused. You pick up the bike and realise you're at your home circuit, on the main straight, winning the race. I am super happy. I have no pressure. I have a contract until the end, then after Valencia, I will go home. I will try to have fun, to smile. I never enjoy the grid. It is the worst moment of the weekend. I never enjoy it. Today I enjoyed it. I spoke to my wife, I saw my friends. It's a fairytale. I have no words. Pole position, winning the sprint, all the people in the grandstands cheering for me… I could not dream of a better Thursday, Friday and Saturday at my last home GP.”
Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Qualifying Results- Aleix Espargaro / Aprilia Racing / 1'38.190s
- Francesco Bagnaia / Ducati Lenovo / +0.031s
- Raul Fernandez / Trackhouse Aprilia / +0.071s
- Brad Binder / Red Bull KTM / +0.144s
- Pedro Acosta / Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 / +0.179s
- Fabio Di Giannantonio / VR46 Ducati / +0.210s
- Jorge Martin / Pramac Ducati / +0.211s
- Alex Rins / Monster Yamaha / +0.502s
- Jack Miller / Red Bull KTM / +0.573s
- Franco Morbidelli / Pramac Ducati / +0.588s
- Enea Bastianini / Ducati Lenovo / +0.670s
- Maverick Viñales / Aprilia Racing / +0.782s
- Alex Marquez / Gresini Ducati / 1'38.53s
- Marc Marquez / Gresini Ducati / 1'38.536s
- Miguel Oliveira / Trackhouse Aprilia / 1'38.551s
- Marco Bezzecchi / VR46 Ducati / 1'38.662s
- Fabio Quartararo / Monster Yamaha / 1'38.705
- Johann Zarco / LCR Honda / 1'38.978s
- Augusto Fernandez / Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 / 1'39.12s
- Takaaki Nakagami / LCR Honda / 1'39.156s
- Joan Mir / Repsol Honda / 1'39.524s
- Luca Marini / Repsol Honda / 1'39.621s
- Stefan Bradl / HRC Test Team / 1'40.276s
Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya Sprint Race Results- Aleix Espargaro / Aprilia Racing / 20m 1.478s
- Marc Marquez / Gresini Ducati / +0.892s
- Pedro Acosta / Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 / +1.169s
- Jorge Martin / Pramac Ducati / +2.147s
- Enea Bastianini / Ducati Lenovo / +2.980s
- Fabio Di Giannantonio / VR46 Ducati / +4.623s
- Jack Miller / Red Bull KTM / +8.084s
- Maverick Viñales / Aprilia Racing / +8.245s
- Marco Bezzecchi / VR46 Ducati / +8.643s
- Fabio Quartararo / Monster Yamaha / +9.241s
- Franco Morbidelli / Pramac Ducati / +9.537s
- Alex Rins / Monster Yamaha / +13.045s
- Takaaki Nakagami / LCR Honda / +13.199s
- Alex Marquez / Gresini Ducati / +13.378s
- Joan Mir / Repsol Honda / +16.438s
- Luca Marini / Repsol Honda / +18.000s
- Augusto Fernandez / Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 / +25.262s
- Stefan Bradl / HRC Test Team / +33.751s
Photo by MotoGP - source : MotoGP
