Aleix Espargaro’s Joyful Sprint Podium at His “Worst Track” Marks a Career Highlight and Aprilia Milestone

Aleix Espargaro expressed immense joy upon securing a podium finish in the MotoGP Sprint, at a circuit he considers his least favorite.

Aleix Espargaro celebrated his inaugural podium finish at the Red Bull Ring during the Austrian MotoGP Sprint race, marking his first-ever podium at the venue.

Since its inaugural MotoGP race at the Styrian circuit in 2016, Espargaro achieved his highest finish of sixth place in 2022, and it took until 2021 for him to secure a top 10 finish.

Thus, it's understandable why Espargaro referred to the Red Bull Ring as his least favored track.

"Espargaro expressed immense joy to the MotoGP international TV feed following the Austrian Sprint, describing it as one of the most memorable Saturdays in his career. He admitted surprise at his performance in Austria, a track he considers among his least favorable and where he seldom finishes in the top 10. Achieving such a lap time during qualifying and then securing a podium finish in the Sprint was, in his words, astonishing."

Espargaro's achievement of third place in the Sprint not only marked a personal milestone, but also represented a historic moment for Aprilia, as it was the team's first podium finish in Austria. Prior to this, Espargaro's best result in Austria was a sixth-place finish in 2022, a feat that was only equaled by Maverick Vinales during the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix.

Espargaro was astonished to secure a podium finish at the Red Bull Ring, expressing that the joy of clinching third place today surpassed the emotions he experienced during several of his wins over the last three years.

"I'm overjoyed," Espargaro expressed. "This feels sweeter than certain wins in Sprints or other races because this circuit presents a significant challenge for both Aprilia and me, so I'm filled with immense pride."

Espargaro secured a spot on the podium following Marc Marquez's accident, who had a significant lead over Espargaro when he went down at the third turn. Given this, it seems improbable that Espargaro will vie for his inaugural complete-race podium at tomorrow's Austrian Grand Prix held at the Red Bull Ring, an event expected to be ruled by Ducati after Francesco Bagnaia's Sprint victory.

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