Unlucky Escrig (Forward): “It would have been nice to come full circle!”

It could have been a great weekend for Alex Escrig and the Forward Racing team. But just a few kilometres from the finish line, the dream came to a sad end.

But let’s take it one step at a time. Escrig and the underdog Forward Racing team have already proven time and again this year that they have taken a huge step forward. In the practice sessions and qualifying, Escrig was often among the fastest. And things went well in the races too. The highlight so far had been third place at Silverstone – the Spaniard’s first podium finish in the World Motorcycle Championship.

Last weekend, it was clear from the outset that a major coup was within reach in Indonesia. With second place in both FP1 and Friday’s qualifying, Escrig got off to a strong start to the event at the Mandalika International Street Circuit. In qualifying on Saturday, he secured second place on the grid for his turquoise Forward.

In the race, Escrig got off to a good start – he slotted in behind pole-setter Izan Guevara at the first corner. Behind the pair, there was a crash: Aspar rider Daniel Holgado collided with the rear of his team-mate David Alonso’s bike. Both crashed, as did Joe Roberts (American Racing) and Collin Veijer (KTM Ajo). The race was subsequently halted.

At the restart, Escrig got off to the best start – he won the sprint to the first corner. The 22-year-old and Guevara were then able to quickly pull away from the chasing pack in the early stages. Escrig then rode a controlled race, at times extending his lead over Guevara. In the final laps, the Pramac rider closed the gap again – he was looking to launch a final attack on Escrig. However, the duel between the two Spaniards never materialised, as Escrig was forced to pull his bike over to the side of the track on the penultimate lap due to a technical fault.

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Escrig threw his hands up in despair, whilst his crew in the Forward pit box let out a loud cry. They couldn’t believe it – they had been so close to their first GP victory. Instead, they were left reeling from the shock.

Alex Escrig führte bis zu seinem Ausfall in der vorletzten Runde

Foto: Gold & Goose

Alex Escrig: “We’ve got five more chances to have some fun again”

Alex Escrig took it in his stride. With a little distance from the events, he wrote on his Instagram account: “How wonderful it is to keep learning new things from life. Once again, you realise that in life, things rarely go as you expect. That wanting something is far from the same as being able to do it, and that happiness comes from within.” He emphasised the positives and was already looking ahead again on Sunday. ‘It’s true that we didn’t secure the win, but I achieved the most important thing: fulfilling all the goals I’d set myself. It was a wonderful weekend, the best of my sporting career. I had very clear ideas on Sunday, and that’s exactly how they played out on the track. It would have been lovely if, this Sunday, 11 October, I’d have come full circle by taking that place right at the top of the podium, but that’s just the nature of competition. As I wrote on my arm: ‘It is what it is. Accept it and move on.’ From now on, we have five more opportunities to have fun again. I’ll remember this race – I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Australia, here we come!”

The Australian Grand Prix takes place in two weeks’ time. That’s where Alex Escrig will have his next chance to secure his first Grand Prix victory. Whether he manages to do so at Phillip Island or at any of the four subsequent events of the season with Forward Racing remains to be seen. In 2027, he’ll be making a fresh start with Italtrans Racing. One thing’s for sure: it’s only a matter of time before Pedro Acosta’s mate stands at the very top of the podium.