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Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team
Autosport Plus
Opinion

The pressure now on Aprilia's previous winner after its MotoGP triumph

OPINION: Aleix Espargaro’s breakthrough victory finally brought Aprilia the MotoGP success it had been craving since it returned to the premier class in 2015. But it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest it might have expected Maverick Vinales – the marque’s last grand prix winner before Espargaro – to be the one to break its duck. Now the pressure is on…

Aleix Espargaro’s maiden victory in last weekend’s Argentina Grand Prix with Aprilia was a watershed moment for MotoGP, as it means all six manufacturers on the grid have taken to the top step of the podium. It also ended a drought for Aprilia across all three classes of the world championship dating back to 2011, when Maverick Vinales won the last ever 125cc grand prix on one of the marque’s RS125s.

It’s the culmination of a decade of work dating back to the much-maligned CRT rules by Dorna Sports to make MotoGP the ultra-competitive series it is now.

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