Aleix Espargaro was poised to take his second victory of the 2022 MotoGP season and the second win of his 12-year MotoGP career at the Catalunya Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider not only grew up a stone’s throw away from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but qualified on pole position with a record-breaking fastest lap.
Espargaro came into the race weekend only eight points behind Rider’s Championship leader Fabio Quartararo and with four consecutive podium finishes to his name. The Catalan GP looked like the perfect venue to reel in the Yamaha rider, but the Espargaro’s race was hard-fought from lights out.
