The Aprilia Raꦬcing rider suffered a fall at turn one that saw him aggravate the same ankle he damaged at the British MotoGP du🔜ring FP4 last season. 

But despite feeling some 🥀pain in his left ankle, Espargaro wa🍸s able to continue before arm pump issues arose during the afternoon. 

• Bagnaia revelling aཧboard Ducati bike that’s ‘developed a bit more on my side’ 

"Yeah I’m okay," Espargaro told when discussing his accident. "The crash was not huge but then I felt the curve on my left foot and the 🅰impact was quite hard. I have quite a lot of pain now as it’s t💙he ankle I damaged at Silverstone. But it’s not a disaster. 

"I had 👍more♔ problems in the afternoon with the right arm and I had a lot of arm pump so I had to stop one hour before the plan [to do so]. 

"I couldn’t even brake. It’s stranꦍge that this happened and I didn’t have any problems in Malaysia. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow."

A turn one crash and arm pump problems aside, Espargaro and Aprilia across all their riders looked very competitive, which follows on from their str🐼ong showing at Sepang. 

Espargaro added: "Was a positive day. I think I was the only rider in the top 15𝓡 that couldn’t use t♔he soft rear tyre because I had to stop early as I couldn’t ride my bike. 

"The gap is not bad aﷺnd I was one of the fastest with the medium tyre which is good. In Malaysia I struggled a lot with the medium but we worked hard here and this month to load a little bit more the rear. Hopefully with the soft we can fight for the top [position]."

One of the big talking poin🔴ts heading into the Portimao test was that of another variation of Aprilia’s new engine that is expected for 2023.

However, two vital points should be made regarding this, the first o🥀f which is that Espargaro did not test it on day🐻-one, nor is that expected during Sunday’s action.

The second point to make is that the new engine, which he confirmed wil⛄l be used at the season-opener at Portimao on March 24-26, is not a revolution to the latest engine currently being used.

"I think the new engine will be ready for the GP but I don’t think we will be able to test it in the test," s♒aid Espargaro. "I don’t think the new engine will be a revolution but we will see during the first race."

What was on show during day-on🅺e of the test was Aprilia’s new aero package, while new front winglets hanging from the forks were also revealed as they a🍌ttempt to close the gap to Ducati.