At 34 years old, Aleix Espargaró is the most veteran of the current MotoGP riders. His debut in the premier class dates back to 2010, but it was only in 2012, after being in Moto2 in 2011, that he definitively joined the grid.
Before that, he had mediocre results in the 125cc and 250cc World Championships. Despite nearing two decades of career, his path could have been very different.
After the 2007 season, he was on the verge of being left without a spot in the 250cc grid, before securing a place with… Aprilia. In an interview with the site SPEEDWEEK.com, Espargaró recalled that troubled period:
– My worst experience was when I didn’t have a 250cc team in 2008 to continue competing in the Grand Prix. It was a very difficult moment. I locked myself in the room, didn’t go out, didn’t want to see anyone.
