Photo: motogp.com
One of the riders with a steadily improving pace, former Aprilia and currently NGM Forward rider Aleix Espagaro seems ready to take on a higher tier in the MotoGp, as he’s eyeing a factory ride from 2015. However, things are a tad more complicated than simply choosing which way to go.
For starters, the elder of the Espargaro brothers and former CRT (now Open) class champion has already showed that he can ride really well when aboard a competitive machine. While he seems to have enjoyed the Aprilia machine team Aspar has given him in 2012 and 2013, and has taken two CRT titles. Aboard the new Forward Yamaha bike, he became even faster and started showing very neat riding in the Free Practice sessions, and doing battle for the higher positions in the championship.
However, it looks like his team is looking forward to bring back the FTR chassis it used to run in the past, and Aleix Espargaro is not exactly happy with this move. His actual bike is powered by a 2013-spec YZR-M1 engine, a slightly dumber version of the lump Rossi and Lorenzo used last year, and the superior performance was easily noticed.
Since Aleix has openly referred to the Tech3 team and asked whether its boss Herve Poncharal could consider running one satellite and one Open entry in 2015, it’s quite obvious that the Spaniard likes the Yamaha machinery quite a lot. He’s not shy to admit he’d like a factory-backed bike and he’s very confident he could become much better aboard it.
Problem is that Yamaha has been very strict in fielding only 4 “official” machines, and given the long-standing relationship between Poncharal and Lin Jarvis, such moves are definitely much easier said than done. His hopes seem to lie with Jarvis and Yamaha being happy with the result of the M1-powered Forward this season and deciding to supply the Open team and Espargaro with better support for an Open M1. Fact is it would be exceptionally intriguing, if not even a first in MotoGP to have two brothers in the same premier class team, namely, the Yamaha Tech3, where Aleix’ younger brother Pol replaced Cal Cructhlow.
Aleix is also one of the good options for Suzuki, and the Spaniard admitted having already talked to Hamamatsu and Davide Brivio, but details on their chatting are yet a well-kept secret. With half-season and the summer break closing in fast, things will definitely start rolling faster, as well as far a sthe 2015 grid is concerned.
Until then, we have Assen this weekend. Marquez said all good things must come to an end… Is this his safety net-declaration in case Rossi or Lorenzo put an end to his 7 straight wins?
However, it looks like his team is looking forward to bring back the FTR chassis it used to run in the past, and Aleix Espargaro is not exactly happy with this move. His actual bike is powered by a 2013-spec YZR-M1 engine, a slightly dumber version of the lump Rossi and Lorenzo used last year, and the superior performance was easily noticed.
Since Aleix has openly referred to the Tech3 team and asked whether its boss Herve Poncharal could consider running one satellite and one Open entry in 2015, it’s quite obvious that the Spaniard likes the Yamaha machinery quite a lot. He’s not shy to admit he’d like a factory-backed bike and he’s very confident he could become much better aboard it.
Problem is that Yamaha has been very strict in fielding only 4 “official” machines, and given the long-standing relationship between Poncharal and Lin Jarvis, such moves are definitely much easier said than done. His hopes seem to lie with Jarvis and Yamaha being happy with the result of the M1-powered Forward this season and deciding to supply the Open team and Espargaro with better support for an Open M1. Fact is it would be exceptionally intriguing, if not even a first in MotoGP to have two brothers in the same premier class team, namely, the Yamaha Tech3, where Aleix’ younger brother Pol replaced Cal Cructhlow.
Aleix is also one of the good options for Suzuki, and the Spaniard admitted having already talked to Hamamatsu and Davide Brivio, but details on their chatting are yet a well-kept secret. With half-season and the summer break closing in fast, things will definitely start rolling faster, as well as far a sthe 2015 grid is concerned.
Until then, we have Assen this weekend. Marquez said all good things must come to an end… Is this his safety net-declaration in case Rossi or Lorenzo put an end to his 7 straight wins?
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