The opening laps of Sꦯunday's German MotoG༒P saw Aleix Espargaro battling at the front of the field - on his privateer CRT Aprilia.

Espargaro (#41) had achieved a similar feat in last year🦹's damp Valencia race, but this was the first time a CRT rider had done so in a 'normal' dry race, albeit aided by the softer specification rear ty𝄹re now available to the privateers.

The early race heroics - which saw him threaten Valentino Rossi for second - followed a best yet fifth oꦏn the grid in qualifying at the twisty Sachsenring circuit.

Although he dropped doꦬwn the order, Espargaro spent much of the race in a tight battle with factory Ducati star Andrea Dovizioso for ജseventh, which the Italian won by less than 0.3s.

"I am very pleased with our start to the race," said Esparga🔜ro, unbeaten in the privateer class this year and with eighth place scores at the last four events. "I knew I could be fast with the soft tyre on the first few laps, so I did what I could to stay ahead.

"I pushed hard, but in🃏evitably, gradually, I lꦫost touch with the frontrunners. Today was the hottest day of the weekend and increased track temperatures hindered the situation somewhat."

Espargaro crossed the line 30 seconds from race winner ▨Marc Marquez, after 📖30 laps.

"I think we had a great race and the difference to first place was the smallest so far this year. I fought to the end with Dovizioso and passed him a couple of times, but he always got back ahead on the downhill. We again picked up plenty of points and were fighting with official bikes, we are in a good position in the championship and I'm very happy with♔ this eighth place."

Despite his form this season, Espargaro appears to have few options in terms of moving up to official manufactuᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrer machinery next year. However if Aprilia take advantage of the 'claiming rule' removal to upgrade the spec of their ART, it should be even more potent package in 2🃏014.

Espargaro's Aspar team-mate Randy De Puniet hasn't felt so comfort🔜able with his machinery and made a switch back to the 2012 chassis, in search of better fronওt end feel, during warm-up at the Sachsenring.

The Frenchman, also test rider for the Suzuki MotoGP project, declared the decision a success and finished in twel🎃fth.

"This morning we decided to go back to the 2012 chassis, because from the beginning ♑of the year I have had a lot of difficulty adjusting to this season's one," he said. "The difference is small but in the warm-up I found the best feeling of the weekend with the bike.

"So I decided to keep the chassis for the race. On t🦂he first lap of the race I had to adapt to the behaviour of the bike, which made me lose several positions and some time, but luckily I was able to pull myself together. However, it was too late to keep up with Pirꦺro and Hayden.

"I think I was the only rider who used the soft front tyre, as with the hard front I could not rid♏e well. When I was passed by Barber? I stuck behind him. I'm happy because today we finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. As the laps went by I could enjoy riding again."