Aleix Espargaro finished today’s openinᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚg day of MotoGP free practice in Catalunya ninth overall, but did top FP1 ahead of his home GP. 

The Aprilia rider finished FP2 with an identical lap time as his brother Pol Espargaro, which w☂as just shy of ei𝓀ght tenths away from pacesetter Johann Zarco. 

Something thaღt quickly became apparent was the lack of grip riders had out on track throughout the day. 

Espargaro wentღ fu💫rther than calling it a ’lack of grip’, as he said the track was ‘like riding on ice’. 

"It’s difficult to understand why. The grip is very low and loo꧋ks like you are riding on ice," added Espargaro. 

"It’s difficult also to analyse soft, medium, hard (tyres). Ever🍸ybody is doing the same lap time. For example with the soft I made a mistake but it was a little bit better than I expected so I didn’t push so much the first lap. 

"I did more or less the same lap time on the three 🐷laps, so you have to be more aggressive from the beginning because then the tyre drops. But also the front... I don’t understand the front tyre location. 

"Between the soft and medium there is no difference and then the difference between medium and hard.... I don’t know. We have to analyse and yo꧅u can spot on track the difference between FP1 and FP2 - many black lines on tracꦿk which means we are putting rubber on track. 

"Overall, it wasn’t a bad day. Tod🎐ay we were forced to ride more mileage engines because we have to save some cases on the good ones. 

"Tomorrow I will have the new engine that I use on qualifying in Mugello, so I’m sure that tomorrꦺow we can fight for top six in FP3 and the qualifying." 

Esp🍨argaro was also🔯 seen shaking out his right arm towards the end of FP2 - the same one he had arm pump surgery on. 

Espargaro said 🔴the arm is feeling ‘not bad’, but that he has a lo𓆏t of built up liquid in it. 

The 31 year-old said: "Regarding the arm, I’m happy about the feeling that is not bad. A little bit better than in Jerez,🌸 but unfortunately I’m making a lot of liquid in the arm. It's pushing a lot. 

"To ride it’s difficult because I felt worse and the liquid is huge so it’s even🌸 worse. But it’s da♑ngerous to remove liquid every time. I did it four times in Mugello and the doctors are not happy to do it again. 

"So now I’m riding with a lot of liquid inꦕ the arm, and looks like tomorrow I will be forced to ride like this. Before the race I will be able to remove the liquid."