Aleix Espargaró’s fairytale title shot is almost certainly over after a frustrating and ultimately disappointing weekend at the Australian Grand Prix.
Espargaró is one of three riders still within mathematical contention of catching new title leader Francesco Bagnaia, but at 27 points down, he’s an improbable chance at best with two rounds remaining.
The Aprilia rider would have to outscore Bagnaia by at least eight points at this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix just to stay alive for Valencia, which he’d then need to win with the Italian failing to score to claim the title.
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It’s a bitter situation for the 33-year-old Spaniard, who took an unlikely championship lead with victory at the Argentinian Grand Prix earlier this year with one of his best-ever rides.
The triumph heralded the arrival of Aprilia as a frontrunning bike in MotoGP in its first official year as a factory team, and for most of the season team and rider have clung to their championship aspirations against the odds and despite not winning another race.
Four successive third-place finishes in April and May were the backbone of the charge, but the 10 grands prix since that golden run of form ended have been comparatively barren.
Espargaró has stood on the podium just once in that time, which was comfortably offset by his non-score in Japan. He’s otherwise failed to finish higher than fifth.
The Spaniard said it wasn’t for a lack of trying but rather the sign of a team that isn’t ready to compete at the bleeding edge of premier class.
“I think that the last three races we’ve proven that we’re not together as a team, we’re not at the level to fight for this title,” he said.
“We’ve actually conceded many, many points. In the past few races I think we’ve scored [12] points, which is ridiculous if you want to fight for the title. This is the problem.
“[The championship is] still possible. I’m really proud of my championship. Two races to go and Aleix and Aprilia are still in the game for the title, so I’m proud.
“But with Pecco and Ducati’s form and with one race [worth of points] of advantage against me, it’s going to be very tricky.”
“Miller Corner” Phillip Island honour | 10:14
The Australian Grand Prix was a devastating blow to the spluttering campaign, putting Espargaró more than 25 points, the value of a race victory, off the championship lead.
Again he and Aprilia appeared reasonably competitive in practice but again issues befall the bike during the race.
Three rounds ago in Japan he suffered for his mechanics accidentally leaving his bike in the wrong engine mode, forcing him to start from pit lane when he had qualified sixth.
In Thailand he struggled with the harder tyre casing, an issue evident with the bike all season, and scraped into the points.
At Phillip Island it was difficulty extracting pace from the tyres after a long management stint early in the race, with an overly sensitive traction control setting thought to be the most likely culprit rather than tyre wear.
“We made many mistakes in the last three races,” he said. “It’s a shame, and [in Australia] again I don’t know what was going on in the last three laps.
“It was frustrating because I’ve said many times the most difficult thing here is to have the speed to be fast, and here I had it.
“I made a good start, I overtook Fabio [Quartararo, hitherto points leader] in corner 2 because I knew I had to be aggressive, and I was in the leading group just waiting, waiting, waiting, but in the end there was nothing I could do.
“I don’t really have an explanation, but it’s frustrating after the hard job we did in the first 70 per cent of the championship.
“To finish outside of the top five in these last three races has hurt me.
“It’s difficult to eat this result.”
It must be particularly difficult given during the middle of the season Espargaró appeared to occupy a sweet spot in which he had a faster bike than the Yamaha and was less crash prone that Francesco Bagnaia, which appeared to be setting him up to ride through the middle of them to the title.
But by way of a combination of him not capitalising on his opportunities and pure misfortune, he wasn’t able to stack up the points while he had the chance. Now Ducati has come on strongly for the final third of the season, and with Bagnaia generally managing to keep his bike on the black stuff, his opportunity has passed him by.
Miller TAKEN OUT on newly named corner | 00:39
“It’s funny because not too long ago — three or four months ago — everyone was saying the Aprilia was the new Ferrari,” he said.
“I know the bike that I have. I know it’s a good bike. I know that we improved the bike a lot. But it’s not at the level of the best bike of the grid at all.
“But it’s never been like this. [Ducati] made many mistakes at the beginning of the year and they’re paying for it now.
“But today the results of the Ducati — I don’t want to use names — is ridiculous.
“It doesn’t matter who rides the bike, but it is always on top, in the top six.
“It’s frustrating.”
Only an incredible series of events could keep Espargaró and Aprilia in the title hunt now. Instead he and Enea Bastianini behind him are likely to find themselves eliminated from contention by Sunday night, with only Fabio Quartararo still an outside chance to resume the title lead after losing it at Phillip Island.
The title rests on Bagnaia’s bike, and Aprilia’s been shown up short.
