Aleix Espargaro 'more frustrated than ever' at Le Mans MotoGP DNF
Aleix Espargaro says he’s 'more frustrated than ever' at his French Grand Prix retirement after an issue with his Aprilia MotoGP bike forced him out on lap 16 of 27.


The Aprilia rider was running strongly inside the top seven at the start of the race, but dropped down 12th after flag-to-flag bike swap.
Able to recover back up to sixth in the wet conditions, Espargaro’s RS-GP expired on lap 16 due to an unknown technical issue – with team-mate Lorenzo Savadori suffering a similar fate on lap 12.
“Yeah, I’m very frustrated, more than ever because of how difficult this weekend was in Le Mans,” Espargaro fumed.
“I had a very tricky beginning of the weekend, [on Saturday] we had a problem with one engine and I crashed twice.
“We start in P13, it goes flag-to-flag but sincerely I’m very proud about my level because in the dry I did a good start, I felt very strong in the dry.
“I couldn’t make many laps but I knew why won’t I be fast, if I was fast in the other circuits.
“So, I started super convinced about myself and I felt very, very strong.
“Before the rain started, I was catching Marc [Marquez] and [Takaaki] Nakagami, [Alex] Rins was a little bit faster but Rins was already in P3 or P4.

Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“So, I’m very confident and when it started to rain I was very angry.
“I took the rain bike, I lose many positions in the first lap, but then I started for the first time in many years to feel fast in the wet and I started to overtake Valentino [Rossi], [Iker] Lecuona, [Danilo] Petrucci, my brother, [Maverick] Vinales in just two laps.
“So, it’s a big shame to lose these points because today we could have finished quite easy in top five, top six.”
Read Also:
Espargaro underwent surgery on arm-pump on Monday in Barcelona, having previously struggled with the issue at Jerez.
He is expected to make a full recovery for the Italian GP in two weeks’ time.
Espargaro is the fourth rider this season to have an operation on arm-pump, with Ducati’s Jack Miller, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Tech3’s Lecuona having similar procedures.
Related video

Tank Slappers Podcast: Miller wins wild French MotoGP
The signs that point to Rossi's MotoGP retirement

Latest news
Bagnaia grateful for British GP advice from MotoGP legends Rossi, Stoner
Silverstone race winner Francesco Bagnaia says he asked MotoGP legends Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner for advice after struggling in practice for the British Grand Prix.
Quartararo “disappointed” to “not lose more” with Silverstone MotoGP penalty
Fabio Quartararo says he is disappointed with his race because he thought he’d “lose more” with his MotoGP British Grand Prix penalty than he did, but could only finish eighth.
Espargaro FP4 crash pain 'no excuse' for Silverstone MotoGP struggles
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro says the pain he felt from his 115mph crash in MotoGP practice for the British Grand Prix is “not an excuse” for his difficult Silverstone race.
Backtracking on tyre gamble led to Zarco’s “hero or zero” Silverstone MotoGP crash
Pramac’s Johann Zarco's decision to change to a medium front tyre before the start of the MotoGP British Grand Prix led to his “hero or zero” crash from the lead.
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success