BARCELONA: Aleix Espargaro claimed victory ahead of Aprilia team mate Maverick Vinales at the Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday, as championship leader Francesco Bagnaia was taken to hospital after crashing on the opening lap. Sprint-winner Espargaro was second for much of the race, but the Spaniard took advantage of Vinales’ worn front tyre to surge into the lead with four laps left and seal the win at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – located seven kilometres from his home town of Granollers. Espargaro dedicated his victory to world champion Bagnaia, whose leg was run over by KTM’s Brad Binder straight after the crash. Bagnaia was conscious and taken to hospital for treatment. The win erased the memories of Espargaro’s premature celebration at last year’s Catalunya GP, when he was one lap away from sealing second position but thought the race was over and began waving to his fans. Aprilia had looked on course for a clean sweep, but Pramac Racing riders Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco leapfrogged Miguel Oliveira (RNF Aprilia) to finish third and fourth. After a chaotic start, the race was restarted for 23 laps and Martin rocketed off the line to take the lead heading into turn one, but he was quickly overtaken by Vinales and Espargaro – who recorded Aprilia’s first-ever one-two in the competition.