Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia claim maiden victory

Aprilia Racing’s Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro celebrates on the podium after winning the Argentina Grand Prix MotoGP in Termas de Rio Hondo, in the Argentine northern province of Santiago del Estero, yesterday. (AFP)

• Jorge Martin and Alex Rins make it an all-Spanish podium Spain’s Aleix Espargaro won the first MotoGP race of his career in Argentina yesterday on his 200th start in the sport’s premier class. The 32-year-old also gave Aprilia a maiden triumph in MotoGP and took over the lead of the world championship after three rounds. Jorge Martin, on a Ducati-Pramac, and Suzuki’s Alex Rins made it an all-Spanish podium. Espargaro started from pole, his first since his Suzuki days seven years ago at the Catalunya Grand Prix in Barcelona, but Martin immediately roared past him. The 24-year-old Martin, chasing his second MotoGP win after the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix, held off his compatriot for large parts of the 25-lap race. Espargaro twice nipped past, only to run wide. However, it turned out to be third time lucky when he made another daring overtake finally stick on the 18th lap, holding the lead comfortably to the flag. The emotions got the better of Espargaro, who broke down in tears in the paddock as he spoke to his family over the phone while his younger brother and Honda rider Pol also came by to embrace him. “I’m very happy, it’s been a long, long time. It was my 200th GP in the premier class,” an emotional Aleix Espargaro said. Espargaro had dominated Saturday’s practice before claiming his first MotoGP pole and the 32-year-old said he was under ‘double’ the pressure to deliver. “It wasn’t an easy race, I didn’t have grip at all, I couldn’t do my best, I was trying to find a good configuration,” he added. “We truly deserve it and the most special thing is we’re leading the championship.” Defending world champion Fabio Quartararo of France was only eighth on the factory Yamaha. Another Spaniard, Joan Mir was fourth on a Suzuki ahead of Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia, the championship runner-up in 2021, riding a Ducati. Nine different riders have been on the podium at the opening three races of the season but it is Espargaro who leads the way with a seven-point advantage in the standings over South Africa’s Brad Binder of KTM. Former championship leader Enea Bastianini of Ducati-Gresini, who won the season opener in Qatar, is third overall, nine points off the pace. The fourth round of the championship takes place next weekend with the United States Grand Prix at Austin, Texas. Celestino Vietti won the Moto2 race for his second victory this season having also triumphed in Qatar. Vietti, who rides for Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Racing Team, now has a 21-point lead in the standings. The Hondas of Somkiat Chantra, the winner in Indonesia last time out, and Ai Ogura completed the podium. Polesitter Fermin Aldeguer, bidding to become Moto2’s youngest race winner at 16, crashed out after contact with Vietti. It was desperate luck for Aldeguer who had set a new lap record in the warm-up earlier yesterday. In Moto3, Sergio Garcia, who had started on pole position, claimed victory despite being down in third place at the start of the final lap. The Aspar team rider swept past Dennis Foggia and teammate Tatsuki Suzuki to claim his first win of the season and take the overall lead in the championship after three rounds. Ayumu Sasaki rounded out the podium despite having to complete a long lap penalty.