Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Espargaro crashes while hunting Argentina podium
aprile 04, 2022 - Honda Racing

Espargaro crashes while hunting Argentina podium

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The Repsol Honda Team walk away pointless from a promising race at Termas de Rio Hondo, Espargaro crashing while chasing the podium and Bradl ending in the top 20.

MotoGP’s compressed weekend in Argentina came to a close in front of a full house on Sunday, the Repsol Honda Team suffering a disappointing end to the Grand Prix. The race started well for #polespargaro who rocketed the Honda RC213V from fourth on the line and into the mix for the lead. Frantic action saw the #44 shuffled back over the course of the opening lap, but he and the Repsol Honda rallied to fight up into fourth over the first five laps.

A mistake on lap seven saw Espargaro drop behind Rins, but the pair worked together to close down the leading duo steadily. A mistake at Turn 2 would end his potential podium challenge and take away a strong fourth place finish. This is Espargaro’s first DNF since the Catalan GP in 2021. He was unharmed in the fall.

Stefan Bradl rode a conservative race to take home a 19th place finish as he deputises for Marc Marquez. The Honda HRC Test Rider strung together a steady weekend to help the Repsol Honda Team confirm a number of items, even with the weekend’s unique schedule.

The Repsol Honda Team now pack up and prepare to head north for The Americas GP in Austin, Texas. #polespargaro won’t have long to wait to bounce back with Round 4 coming up in just a week’s time.

Takaaki Nakagami took top Honda honours in 12th place while Honda Team Asia enjoyed their first double podium in Moto2 as Somkiat Chantra followed up his debut win with a second-place finish ahead of teammate Ai Ogura.

Pol Espargaro

DNF

“The race started quite well, I had a good launch and I was in the front group. I was feeling good but a mistake allowed Rins to get through on me, then I recovered and was pushing to catch him and leading two. We had an up and down weekend, but we made a good step in Qualifying and then we were putting together a good race, it’s a race that I should have finished because even fourth was quite good points. Then a few laps later I fell at Turn 2, I was pushing very hard to improve and it’s a shame that we crashed. Our potential this year is really high and to take only four points in two races is not what we are here to do. Fortunately we can go again in a week.”

Stefan Bradl

19th

“I had a good start to the race but made a mistake into Turn One, I was a bit too aggressive and then made another mistake a few laps later. Small mistakes which in the end cost us some positions and stopped me staying in the group ahead to fight for something more, closer to Alex probably. This is all part of the process when you jump back into #motogp, and it was especially tough this weekend with the schedule and one less day.”

Argentina Grand Prix Race Results

Pos.

Rider

Num

Nation

Points

Team

Constructor

Time/Gap

1

ESPARGARO Aleix

41

SPA

25

Aprilia Racing

Aprilia

41'36.198

2

MARTIN Jorge

89

SPA

20

Pramac Racing

Ducati

0.807

3

RINS Alex

42

SPA

16

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

01.330

4

MIR Joan

36

SPA

13

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

1.831

5

BAGNAIA Francesco

62

ITA

11

Ducati Lenovo Team

Ducati

5.840

6

BINDER Brad

33

RSA

10

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

6.192

7

VINALES Maverick

12

SPA

9

Aprilia Racing

Aprilia

6.540

8

QUARTARARO Fabio

20

FRA

8

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

10.215

9

BEZZECCHI Marco

73

ITA

7

Mooney VR46 #racing Team

Ducati

12.622

10

BASTIANINI Enea

23

ITA

6

Team Gresini #racing MotoGP

Ducati

12.987

11

MARINI Luca

10

ITA

5

Mooney VR46 #racing Team

Ducati

13.962

12

NAKAGAMI Takaaki

30

JPN

4

LCR Honda

Honda

14.002

13

OLIVEIRA Miguel

88

POR

3

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

14.456

14

MILLER Jack

43

AUS

2

Ducati Lenovo Team

Ducati

14.898

15

MARQUEZ Alex

73

SPA

1

LCR Honda

Honda

23.472

16

FERNANDEZ Raul

25

SPA

0

Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing

KTM

25.962

17

GARDNER Remy

87

AUS

0

Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing

KTM

28.711

18

BINDER Darryn

40

RSA

0

WithU Yamaha RNF #motogp Team

Yamaha

28.784

19

BRADL Stefan

6

GER

0

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

31.943

20

DOVIZIOSO Andrea

4

ITA

0

WithU Yamaha RNF #motogp Team

Yamaha

1'21.499

21

DI GIANNANTONIO Fabio

49

ITA

0

Team Gresini #racing MotoGP

Ducati

DNF

22

ESPARGARO Pol

44

SPA

0

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

DNF

23

MORBIDELLI Franco

21

ITA

0

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

DNF

24

ZARCO Johann

5

FRA

0

Pramac Racing

Ducati

DNF

 

Rider Standings

Limited to top 30 results

Pos.

Rider

Num

Nation

Points

Team

Constructor

1

ESPARGARO Aleix

41

SPA

45

Aprilia Racing

Aprilia

 

2

BINDER Brad

33

RSA

38

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

3

RINS Alex

42

SPA

36

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

4

BASTIANINI Enea

23

ITA

36

Team Gresini #racing MotoGP

Ducati

5

QUARTARARO Fabio

20

FRA

35

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

6

MIR Joan

36

SPA

33

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

7

OLIVEIRA Miguel

88

POR

28

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

8

ZARCO Johann

5

FRA

24

Pramac Racing

Ducati

9

MARTIN Jorge

89

SPA

20

Pramac Racing

Ducati

10

ESPARGARO Pol

44

SPA

20

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

11

MILLER Jack

43

AUS

15

Ducati Lenovo Team

Ducati

12

MORBIDELLI Franco

21

ITA

14

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

13

VINALES Maverick

12

SPA

13

Aprilia Racing

Aprilia

14

BAGNAIA Francesco

62

ITA

12

Ducati Lenovo Team

Ducati

15

MARQUEZ Marc

93

SPA

11

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

16

MARINI Luca

10

ITA

10

Mooney VR46 #racing Team

Ducati

17

NAKAGAMI Takaaki

30

JPN

10

LCR Honda

Honda

18

BEZZECCHI Marco

73

ITA

7

Mooney VR46 #racing Team

Ducati

19

BINDER Darryn

40

RSA

6

WithU Yamaha RNF #motogp Team

Yamaha

20

MARQUEZ Alex

73

SPA

4

LCR Honda

Honda

21

DOVIZIOSO Andrea

4

ITA

2

WithU Yamaha RNF #motogp Team

Yamaha

22

GARDNER Remy

87

AUS

1

Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing

KTM