Alex Escrig left the Hungarian Grand Prix with a bitter taste in his mouth after a weekend in which he once again demonstrated that he has the pace to fight for top positions in Moto2. The rider from Puçol started Friday with the ninth-fastest time in FP1 and took a step forward in the free practice session, where he finished seventh to secure direct entry into Q2. However, things didn’t quite go as expected. “Expectations were high, but we had problems on Friday and then I realised that perhaps I wasn’t as comfortable on the bike as I thought,” explained the Valencian.
On Saturday, the focus was on gaining a better understanding of the bike’s performance ahead of the race. Escrig used FP2 to gather data and finished with the 16th fastest time, although when it came to setting a fast lap, he once again demonstrated his potential. The KLINT Forward Factory Team rider secured a brilliant fifth place in Q2, securing a spot on the second row of the grid. “We managed to turn it around and qualify fifth, which isn’t too bad considering the circumstances,” said the Samurai after a day that restored optimism to the garage.
Sunday’s race got off to a very positive start for Alex, who made a great start and stayed in contention during the opening laps. However, a technical issue began to hamper his performance and caused him to gradually lose places as the race progressed. Despite the difficulties, the rider from Puçol decided to stay on track until the chequered flag, finishing in 21st place. “The aim was to finish in the top 10 and score points, but bad luck was once again on our side. We had a technical problem and I couldn’t ride as I wanted to. I didn’t retire out of respect for the team and did what I could right to the end,” he said.
Although the final result did not reflect the potential shown over the weekend, Alex and his team are leaving Hungary confident that the pace is there and that the work they have done is heading in the right direction. "Better times will come; we have to stay focused on our work and on the pace we are showing. In the end, a good Sunday will come of its own accord," said the rider from Puçol, determined to turn the page and translate the performance shown over the weekend into the results that both he and the team deserve in the upcoming rounds of the championship.