Aleix Espargaro is expected to announce that he will retire from MotoGP at the end of the 2024 season. A press conference featuring Espargaro has been scheduled prior to his home race in Barcelona. There have been rumors for some time that 2024 could be his final season, which he openly discussed in an exclusive interview. Despite the desire of his factory Aprilia team to keep him, Espargaro has stated that his future in racing depends on his results and enjoyment. The lack of consistent podium finishes in the current season has hinted at his retirement announcement.
This marks the end of a remarkable career in MotoGP that began in the 800cc era. Espargaro first entered the premier class in 2009 as a replacement rider for Pramac Ducati. After a strong rookie season, he was unable to secure a MotoGP seat for 2011 and had to compete in the Moto2 class. He returned to MotoGP in 2012 with the Aspar team and later joined Forward Racing Yamaha in 2014. Riding a disguised CRT machine, he achieved a seventh-place finish in the championship. In 2015, he moved to Suzuki, where he excelled as a development rider. After two seasons, he joined Aprilia in 2017.
At Aprilia, Espargaro became the team’s leader and played a crucial role in transforming the RS-GP into a competitive bike. He secured his first victory in 2022 and went on to win twice more in 2023. His legacy will be defined by his contributions to Aprilia’s success. It is expected that he will continue to be involved with the team as part of the test team. Espargaro is also known for his outspokenness and sometimes-fiery personality, which added to the spectacle of the sport. He has been a strong advocate for rider safety and is likely to remain involved in such issues after retiring from full-time racing.
Espargaro’s departure at the end of the season confirms rumors that Aprilia will be a key player in the 2025 silly season as they search for his replacement. The team is reportedly interested in signing the rider who loses out in Ducati’s factory seat negotiations. This means that team boss Massimo Rivola can now focus on securing either Enea Bastianini or Espargaro’s close friend, Jorge Martin, as Espargaro’s successor.