Aleix warns “I could do a ’29”, enjoying “more than Barcelona”

Aprilia had excelled in similar low grip conditions at Catalunya, where Espargaro and team-mate Maverick Vinales delivered the factory’s historic first MotoGP one-two.

That result was repeated on day one at a dusty Mandalika, Espargaro returning from a fall to set a new lap record of 1m 30.474s despite having a better lap cancelled and his front tyre being ’destroyed’.

But it wasn’t just new rubber speed, the Aprilia pair had been just as dominant on used tyres. Indeed, Espargaro said he felt even better than when riding at his home Barcelona circuit last month.

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“I did a really fast lap with the first [new] tyre, then I crashed, then I was fast again immediately after the crash but found a yellow flag when I was half a second under,” Espargaro recalled.

“Then on lap five with the front tyre - the front tyre was already destroyed! - I did the ‘30.4. So it means that you really have the speed.

“But apart from the fast lap, the second run with the used rear tyre was very fast.

“I managed the fastest lap of the session [at that stage] a ’31.3 with a used tyre in [what would be] the last lap of the Sprint race, let's say. So this is the most important.

“I have to say that maybe I enjoy today more than in Barcelona. In Barcelona, I was a little bit more on the limit and today, even if I crashed, I enjoyed a lot riding the bike.

“The grip is not fantastic but I was able really to understand and to ride in the limit of the bike, in the limit of the track and I had a lot of fun.”

Although the track was visibly dusty, the triple MotoGP race winner praised the quality of the resurfacing and felt the could have gone half-a-second faster.

“I don't think that the grip is worse than Barcelona or Argentina or Qatar. And one thing we have to remember is that it’s Friday. And I think if I didn't crash, I could go into the 1m 29. And I didn't go under 1m 32 last year. So I think [the surface] is good.

“The good thing is that we’ve been to some circuits where they’ve put new asphalt and there was a lot of small bumps already. This track is perfect. No bumps.

"Yes, it's very slippery because there's no activity and there is a lot of dust. But every lap is better. So for me they did a very good job. Last year was really in the limit! And this year is completely another thing. For me it's very good.”

Espargaro is currently fifth in the world championship, 30 points behind KTM’s Brad Binder and 9 ahead of Johann Zarco.