By Our Reporter
SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO (ARGENTINA), April 4: History beckoned; history was made. On his 200th MotoGP start, Aleix Espargaro – for the very first time in his career – is a Grand Prix race winner after converting pole position into a dream victory at the Gran Premio Michelin de la República, Argentina.
Aprilia Racing are now premier class race winners and World Championship leaders as we witness a spell-binding battle for the win in Termas de Rio Hondo, with Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) crossing the line P2 less than a second away from P1. Alex Rins (Suzuki) ended Sunday’s race in P3 to pick up his first podium of the season.
For the first time since 2019, it was lights out in Argentina and getting away superbly from the middle of the front row was Martin. The Pramac star grabbed the holeshot, Pol Espargaro (Honda) launched well from the second row to slot into P3, just behind polesitter and older brother Aleix Espargaro.
Much later, heading onto the last lap, Aleix Espargaro had given himself 0.6s breathing space. A monumentally huge lap was incoming for the number 41 and Aprilia, 4.8km of asphalt was all that separated him from a dream debut victory. Turn 5 was safely negotiated. Turn 7 too.
Three corners left for Espargaro quickly became two. Turn 13 was safely deposited, no attack from Martin, and flicking his RS-GP left, Espargaro took the chequered flag in P1 for the very first time, handing Aprilia their first premier class victory.
