“This circuit is very slippery, especially in this heat. It reminds me a lot of Argentina’s conditions, and my brother was there. So I think it could make for a great weekend for him.” Pol Espargaro made this comment on Thursday, before the action began at the Catalan Grand Prix. That prediction started to form after the first day. It included the technical derivative of the Catalan track’s lack of grip, which is one of the key factors to these hot days.
After the two free practice sessions, Aleix Espargaro was at the top in the time table with a time that was 303 thousandths better than his Aprilia teammate Maverick Vinales. He was 488 faster than Enea Bastianini. This is a scandal, as the distance between Espargaro and Espargaro was more than that between Espargaro and the thirteenth, Fabio di Giannantonio (author of the pole in Italy) less than a week earlier.
It is true that it is difficult to be left behind, to fall, and to fight again. However, it is not a cliché. I am enjoying my time and am very relaxed. Although it is the home Grand Prix, there is no pressure. I just wanted to show everyone that I can go fast on this track because I have the bike with me. After confirming that he wants the weekend to be a part of the fight for the title, Aleix Espargaro smiled about the moment that Aleix Espargaro lived.
I believe that today we were consistent, with the hard tires I didn’t like the feeling too much but we have been one the fastest and with intermediate I have been faster than my competitors. Today, I was very dominant, but the difference between lap ten, twelve, and lap twenty-three, which I believe there is, will be significant. We’ll see tomorrow if anyone goes to the extreme.
Pecco Bagnaia and his teammate, Bastianini, Jorge Martin (who has to travel to Italy Monday to have arthrosis surgery in his right wrist), Brad Binder and Jack Miller were also present. Franco Morbidelli was there to place a second Yamaha in the group that would be provisionally in Q2. Aprilia and Ducati, KTM (Suzuki, Yamaha), and again with Honda out. Pol Espargaro was eleventh among the best Japanese structure riders in the first weekend after Marc Marquez’s announcement that he would be undergoing surgery. This surgery was performed this Thursday in the United States at the Mayo Clinic Rochester (Minnesota) in a section focusing on sports injuries.
The doctor released a statement saying that despite the complexity of the procedure, the final result was satisfactory. The surgery consisted of the removal of two proximal screws from the posterior plate that Dr. Samuel Antuna had placed in December 2020. This was followed by a rotational hiperal osteotomy. To rotate the humerus around its axis, this procedure involves making a transverse cut to the humeral bones. Today’s external rotation was approximately 30 degrees. An anterior plate with multiple screws has stabilized the humerus in its new position. The surgery was performed without any complications.
Marquez has traveled to the United States with Carlos Garcia, his trusted physiotherapist. He will then return to Spain to continue his rehabilitation work without a date. He will return to competition. The Spanish driver sent a message of satisfaction via his social media networks, including two images of him watching the Grand Prix of Catalonia’s second practice and another after the Roland Garros semi-final match between Alexander Zverev and Rafa Nadal.
