MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix 2015: Aleix Espargaro to Unleash Full Potential GSXRR

Jun 13, 2015 06:25 AM EDT

(Photo : Getty Images) Caption:(From R) Spain's rider Pol Espargaro on his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 N°44 competes ahead of German's rider Stephan Bradl on his Yamaha Forward N°6 and Spain's rider Alex Espargaro on his Suzuki Ecstar N°41 during a motoGP free practice session, on May 15, 2015 in Le Mans, western France, ahead of the French Grand Prix on May 17. AFP PHOTO / JEAN FRANCOIS MONIER (Photo credit should read JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP/Getty Images)

Following two consecutive retirements at Le Mans in France & Mugello in Italy, Aleix Espargaro can't wait to show the real potential of the GSXRR of Team Suzuki Ecstar at Catalunya in Spain.

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This weekend Team Suzuki Ecstar are keen to know what was the result of their upgraded chassis which they did at Mugello & especially the long awaited engine development in Barcelona.

However, Aleix didn't finish the race because he committed a mistake and crashed out of the race, while his teammate Maverick Vinales capitalized to finish 7th last time out in Italy making him 9th on the Championship Standings.

On Friday, in Free Practice 1, the older brother of Pol Espargaro of Monster Yamaha Tech3 immediately post a stunning lap during the first practice, clocking (1m 42.183s +0.375s) to put him in 3^rd behind the two Repsol Honda's of Marc Marquez & Dani Pedrosa, via AutoSports.com. Vinales was also quick setting the pace as he finished in 5th place, posting a lap time of (1m 42.555s +0.747s) behind Telefonica Movistar Yamaha Racing Jorge Lorenzo.

Later, in the afternoon both rider adjusted their set-up then tried to increase their pace by working the handling of the GSXRR which paid off pretty well to Espargaro, putting him in 1st place with a stunning lap of (1m 41.158s) - just one second under the race lap record and a few tenths from the pole record in Free Practice 2 using a new soft rear tyre.

It is very rare to see Team Suzuki Ecstar topping the timesheet, especially for a returning manufacturer that took an hiatus in 2011.

Vinales was still in 5th place (+0.764s) behind the top man Aleix, riding consistently trying to learn how to manage the new upgrades they done this weekend in Catalunya. But Jorge Lorenzo, the man to beat this weekend, sits in 7th place (-0.876s) behind the leader, despite encountering a slight problem in the afternoon due to the increasing temperature of the track but sets a consistent lap time of (1min.43s) than any other rider.

TagsMaverick Vinales, Aleix Espargaro, Team Suzuki Ecstar, Pol Espargaro, Monster Yamaha Tech3