Pol Espargaro: Aprilia's Dominance and Ducati's Struggles at Silverstone

Pol Espargaro, DAZN analyst, has weighed in on the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where Aprilia's stunning dominance saw them lock out the podium. Raul Fernandez's victory has cemented his status as a title contender, but the weekend also highlighted Ducati's ongoing struggles.

According to Espargaro, Ducati arrived at Silverstone with high hopes, even bringing new aerodynamic wings for Jorge Martin's bike. "They increased downforce, which is crucial here. They are faster than last year, but also much faster than Ducati, which lost grip and burned through tires quicker," he said.

Raul Fernandez, a Clear Title Contender

Raul Fernandez's win was no fluke. Espargaro praised his consistency under pressure, both from contract uncertainty and high expectations. "He's close. You can gain 37 points in a weekend, and he's just one step away. I think he's a clear title contender," he stated.

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Meanwhile, Jorge Martin looked more solid and confident, strengthening his championship lead. "This weekend showed Ducati is suffering, not just Marc but the whole factory team. Pecco Bagnaia had a weekend to forget. But Jorge Martin can now think, why not go for the title?" Espargaro added.

The Missing Marc Marquez

Espargaro also focused on Marc Marquez, who started sixth and struggled with rear tire degradation. He described Marquez's performance as "not the Marc we know"—typically explosive and aggressive. "He held back all race because he knew the rear tire would fade. The result was clearly not good," he explained.

He also highlighted Marco Bezzecchi's impressive double podium and lap record on Friday, as well as Ai Ogura's crash, the only Aprilia to retire. "This shows how thin the line is between speed and error in MotoGP today," he concluded.