What if Aleix Espargaró was the big favorite this weekend in Indonesia? That's the whole question! In any case, he showed crazy speed today on the asphalt of Mandalika, and asserted himself as such from the top of the ranking. If Aprilia experienced a slight dip two thirds of the way through the season, the RS-GP seems to have found performance again and this is a good sign for the Noale firm, which sees KTM becoming a serious opponent to Ducati with advances remarkable.
It is a very happy Aleix Espargaró that we find in the columns of speedweek at the end of this first day: “I really enjoyed it, it was even better than in Catalonia. Although while I was attacking I had a small fall ». In fact, like others, the Aprilia official hit the ground but that does not seem to bother him otherwise. “I fell during the first attempt, but from the second, after the fall, I was much faster, half a second below my best time » confided the Spaniard.
A new family adventure begins, the longest to date! 7 weeks, 6 countries, 6 races and a lot of memories! Let's go! 🇮🇩🇦🇺🇹🇭🇲🇾🇶🇦🇪🇸 #Ohana pic.twitter.com/pbVSqipUM5
— Aleix Espargaro (@AleixEspargaro) October 9, 2023
All this bodes very well, especially since he dares the comparison with Barcelona, where he crushed the competition during the Sprint and the Grand Prix. “I spun very quickly with worn tires. I had excellent pace, even with the tire degradation. VSit was a pure pleasure to drive the RS-GP today » he confided. « In Barcelona I was close to the limit. Here, despite the fall, I had the impression that everything was under control. »
After this crazy Friday, do you think he is now the main favorite for qualifying, but also for the two races? Tell us in the comments!
Practice result at the 2023 MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport