MotoGP riders spend their lives pushing the limits. They learn to manage speed, pain, injuries, and constant pressure. But no one truly teaches them how to manage their emotions. Aleix Espargaró recently made a particularly touching admission about this.
Three years after hitting the helmet of Franco Morbidelli au Qatar Grand Prixthe former pilot Aprilia He still considers this episode one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Not because of the penalty or fine that followed, but because he one day had to explain it to his son.
« My son Max asked me, "Why did you slap him?" ", the Spaniard recounts today. I wanted to die. I didn't know what to tell him.. This simple sentence perhaps sums up better than any controversy the psychological violence that can sometimes be generated by high-level sport.
Aleix Espargaró He was never a politically correct driver. This is probably what earned him as many supporters as detractors throughout his career. He regularly expressed his anger towards his team in front of the cameras, took strong stances on many issues, and sometimes let his emotions get the better of him. I've always been easygoing and friendly – I'm a straightforward person, and that's both a good and a bad thing. »
He is not trying to exonerate himself today. Hitting Morbidelli is one of the biggest mistakes of my life " he states bluntly. A rare admission in a paddock where drivers seldom admit their mistakes so openly.
His testimony also highlights a subject that is still too rarely discussed in motorcycle sport: the psychological preparation of riders.
Aleix Espargaró: “ You are not thinking clearly »
When viewers watch a Grand Prix from their sofas, they see millionaire athletes riding the most sophisticated motorcycles in the world. What they don't see is a heart beating at over 180 beats per minute, a constant adrenaline rush, and decisions sometimes made in a fraction of a second under immense emotional pressure.
« Lots of people watch this from their couches and think, "Damn, man!", and they make you look like a complete idiot, but you have to remember that You're caught up in the heat of the moment, your heart is pounding, so you're not really thinking clearly. » he explains on YouTube.
This obviously doesn't justify an inappropriate gesture. But it might help us better understand why some pilots can sometimes make human errors despite their extraordinary technical skill.
Aleix Espargaró He now believes that young pilots should systematically work with a sports psychologist. I didn't do it enough myself. " he acknowledges. In a world where drivers sometimes begin their international careers at 15 or 16 years old and are immediately exposed to the media, social networks and enormous pressure, this reflection probably deserves more attention.
MotoGP invests millions of euros in the development of motorcycles, but much less in the psychological support of those who ride them.
The clashes between I will espargaro et Morbidely These incidents have multiplied in recent years, culminating in the sometimes surreal events at Silverstone and Valencia. The relationship between the two men has never truly improved.
But for the first time, Aleix Espargaró He no longer speaks like a driver trying to be right. He speaks like a father who has had to explain to his child why he lost his temper in front of millions of viewers. And sometimes, a child's question is infinitely harder to deal with than a penalty on the starting grid.
