TOP TEN ONCE AGAIN FOR APRILIA WITH ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
ANDREA IANNONE SEVENTEENTH
With a courageous ride, skill and a bit of luck in the last part of the race, Aleix took his second top-ten finish in Argentina after the outstanding début in Qatar. On the starting grid with the soft rear tyre, Aleix stressed the rubber in the first part of the race, moving into tenth place and trying to stay close to the leading group. The gaps actually stayed quite close and the number 41 RS-GP kept Quartararo in its sights, thinking of attacking for better positions in the second half. Instead, tyre wear forced Aleix to ride the latter part of the race on the defence. Overtaken in the finale by his brother, Pol, he did not give up and took the position back on the final lap. Just as he got past him, a double crash gave him a nice ninth-place finish.
Andrea and his team, on the other hand, had to reckon with the same difficulties encountered on Saturday which had compromised their qualifiers. Starting from the eighth row, Andrea was never in the conditions to be able to make a comeback. He fought tooth and nail in a race that was certainly difficult, but which also constitutes another step forward in getting to know the bike for him and for his team.