Aleix Espargaro says finishing ahead of Randy de Puniet was huge accomplishment – MotoGP news
The CRT Aspar driver Aleix Espargaro speaks of his victory over teammate Randy de Puniet in the 2012 MotoGP season as a huge achievement.
Espargaro finished the season 12th on riders’ standings whereas his teammate de Puniet finished 13th. Espargaro said, “I am happy because we achieved the objective we set for ourselves at the start of last season [and] I am particularly satisfied to have
beaten my teammate on the same bike. I knew that whoever got to grips with the new bikes the soonest would dominate.”
The 23-year-old Espargaro was the junior member of the team since he had only 21 MotoGP participations to his name whereas the 31-year-old de Puniet had 2 podium finishes to his name and 2012 was his seventh consecutive year participating in MotoGP. Clearly,
keeping these facts in mind, one can understand Espargaro’s joy over finishing ahead of de Puniet in 2012 MotoGP drivers’ standings.
Team Aspar was the most successful of all Claiming Rule Teams (CRT’s) that took part in the 2012 season. Keeping in mind the team status, its drivers did quite well. As a matter of fact, the final three rounds of the championship were the decisive rounds
amongst Espargaro and de Puniet until which point they were never separated by more than 10 points on drivers’ standings.
“Randy and I came into the final stages of the season with very little between us. I knew that any mistake or lack of concentration could cost me points or a position in the championship,” said Espargaro.
Espargaro was 1 of 4 CRT drivers to have participated in all 18 rounds of the 2012 MotoGP season, his Aspar teammate de Puniet, Paul Bird Motorsport driver James Ellison and San Carlo Honda Gresini driver Michele Pirro being the other three drivers. Riding
the ART-Aprila, Espargaro retired from only 2 GP rounds and was able to finish the remaining 16 rounds which too was an achievement for the Spanish racer.
Aspar has decided to go in the 2013 season with the same drivers Espargaro and de Puniet.
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