Fermin Aldeguer’s Saturday at the Misano MotoGP started on a high note with his best qualifying performance of the season, securing third place in Q2. However, his promising day took a downturn during the Sprint race when he was pushed back on the opening lap and ended up battling Pedro Acosta to maintain a top-six position. Ultimately, the Gresini Racing rider was edged out of that fight and dropped to eighth place.
Aldeguer had aimed to stay close behind the leading duo early in the Sprint, but his race was compromised due to a poor first lap caused by tire pressure settings that weren’t optimized for the mid-pack temperatures and race conditions. Despite the setback, Aldeguer described the day as positive, noting the considerable progress made in qualifying and a “nice battle” with Acosta that provided valuable insights for the main race.
He explained that the tire pressure was tailored for running alone or with just one other rider to minimize slipstream effects, which made it difficult when he was surrounded by five or six bikes. Regarding the intense fight with Acosta, both riders lost time in what Aldeguer called a “fair” but somewhat “stupid” contest, particularly when they made contact at Turn 9, allowing Raul Fernandez to overtake. Aldeguer enjoyed the challenge despite the close calls and expressed that race officials did not intervene, indicating the moves were within acceptable limits.
Fan Take:
Aldeguer’s qualifying leap and gritty battles show his rising potential and add exciting unpredictability to the races, which is great for fans craving intense competition. His performance also highlights how strategy and minute technical choices, like tire pressure, can hugely influence race outcomes — a nuance that keeps MotoGP thrilling and ever-evolving.
Source: www.crash.net
