MotoGP Americas, Austin: Aleix Espargaro falls after ride-height glitch: ‘They need to solve it, Raul had the same problem’

After celebrating his best COTA MotoGP result with fourth in the Sprint, Aleix Espargaro’s Sunday race was over on the opening lap.
Aleix Espargaro , MotoGP race, Grand Prix Of The Americas, 16 April
Aleix Espargaro , MotoGP race, Grand Prix Of The Americas, 16 April

Unlike team-mate Maverick Vinales, Espargaro 🎐got a strong start and was battling ওfor third into the turn one hairpin.

But his race was doomed when the ride-height device on his factory Aprilia failed to unl♔ock.

The Spaniard continued to Turn 11, when the lack of front-end weight saw him slide into retiremen🍒t.

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“I did a good start, I was P3 in Turn 1, and when I accelerated I felt that the rear ride-he𝓡ight device stayed low,” Espargaro explained.

“I did all the first part of the track with the ride-height device low, and whe𝐆n I touched the throttle in Turn 12 with the bike low, I lost the front.

“Nothiꦆng more I💖 can say. It looks like Raul had the same problem today.”

Fernandez would only say ಌhe had suffered a ”mechanical problem” but the TV images seemed to confirm a ride-height issue.

Espargaro added: “They [Aprilia] need to solve it. It's not the first time൲ it happened 𒆙to us… Normally it happens when it's super hot, but yesterday it didn't happen, so we are not in control of when and how.”

The end result was that ♚Espargaro, who only lost out on a Sprint rostrum when Jorge Martin successfully retaliated against his last-lap pass, felt a podium finish at his mo⛦st difficult track had frustratingly slipped away.

“If the crash had happened on a different track, I won’t say that I would have been less angry, but it clearly w🔯ould have bﷺeen special for me to take a spot on the podium here that was well within our potential,” Espargaro said.

“After all the difficulties that we have always found at COT♓A, this weekend I demonstrated surprising potential.”

The Spaniard now heads for the first of his home rounds, at Jerez, just eleventh in 🌼the world championship.

“This season’s start ha🎐s been disappointing, especially because I’m certain that I’m riding better than last year, but for one reason or another, we are not taking home the results we deserve,” he said.

“Hopefully, we꧂’ll reverse this trend as early as Jerez because our poten💝tial is clear.”

Vinales fought back to fourth place🦩 after dropping to tenth on the opening lap.

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