THE MOTOGP EUROPEAN TOUR BEGINS
After three intercontinental rounds, MotoGP is back in Europe for an 11-round tour on the most exciting tracks of motorcycle racing history. The tour kicks off with Jerez de la Frontera for the GP of Spain, a World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing staple since 1987.
For both of the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, this will be a particularly important event. Aleix Espargaró will be on his home pitch at a circuit that he loves and that seems to be a good fit for the dynamic characteristics of the RS-GP. After earning his first points of the 2018 season in Austin, the Spanish rider has the motivation and the potential to aim for important results.
Scott Redding tackled the opening rounds of the season as an apprentice, focusing on increasing his familiarity with the new bike and the new team. The experience gained in the first three Grand Prix races will help the British rider on friendlier circuits.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“We are heading to Jerez with positive sensations. We knew that Austin would be a difficult track for us, but we did well and in the tests after the race, we were able to improve even more. I love the European circuits. They are narrower and have different asphalt, plus my Aprilia is a better fit for tracks like the one we will be on this weekend. Our level is decidedly higher than the results of the first races would indicate. In Europe we will be able to be the pleasant surprise of this championship.”
SCOTT REDDING
“It’s always good to get back to Europe where our work is a little more ‘conventional’ on the weekend. Jerez is a circuit that suits the characteristics of the RS-GP well. We did pre-season tests here and the sensations were good. The track has different characteristics than what we have seen so far, so this is one more reason for me to aim at taking another step forward. We have only shown a glimpse of our potential. The only thing we were lacking was the experience to adapt the setup quickly to the different conditions.”
