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ALEIX CLOSES OUT THE FIRST SESSIONS IN VALENCIA WITH THE SECOND-FASTEST TIME

6 November 2020

In spite of decidedly treacherous weather, the first weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia began well for Aleix Espargaró. With outstanding performance in FP2, held on a dry but not perfect track, the number 41 rider rode his Aprilia RS-GP to second place with a time less than one tenth slower than the leader. Aleix’s pace in the wet FP1 session was also comforting – conditions in which the Spaniard had previously complained of some limitations.

There is also a huge smile on teammate Lorenzo Savadori’s face, who is making his début in the category. The newly crowned Italian Superbike champion tackled his first two sessions cautiously. This is the wisest choice on a new track, in the most demanding category and with just a few miles in the saddle of the RS-GP. In any case, Lorenzo improved consistently and he has already identified the areas that need work in order for him to continue improving.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’

“A strange day overall. This morning we lapped in the wet and it was the first good news for me. In fact, we changed the RS-GP compared to Le Mans, where I didn’t feel very good in the rain, and I must say that I felt more competitive straight away. The bike gained stability and I enjoyed riding. The first part of FP2 was rather risky with some demanding conditions. I usually have a low heart rate, but his afternoon it was beating a lot faster! The track improved progressively, so toward the end it was almost perfect and the times reflect that. I am satisfied.”

LORENZO SAVADORI
“What’s the saying – a wet début is a lucky début? It was definitely fantastic for me, even though it wasn’t easy, given the conditions. I have already learned a lot – where I need to improve and where the others make the difference. We plan to move forward step by step. Right now, it is important for me to get in as many miles as possible. If I had to analyse my performance, I’d say that we need to focus most of all on cornering. I know the guys already have a few changes in mind to meet my needs, so tomorrow we’ll try to make another step forward.”