MotoGP: ‘Different situation’ for Aprilia in 2017

The situation in the factory Aprilia garage in 2017 will be very different to 2016, according to project boss Romano Albesiano, who says that now that the bike has been shown to be competitive, they need a new strategy to go with their new riders.

Speaking last week at the team’s official launch in their Noale factory, where riders Sam Lowes and Aleix Espargaró got the chance to pull the covers off their new livery, the Italian engineer says that they know what needs to be done.

“For us, 2017 begins with a different situation compared with last year. We already know that we have a bike, the RS-GP, which has reached a good competitive level. The evolutions that we studied and applied in view of the new season concern every aspect of the bike, from its weight, which has been optimised, to overall balance, not to mention engine performance and the electronics package.

“An all-around operation but without any drastic changes, given the good starting base, with which we want to take another step toward the goals set for the Aprilia MotoGP project. The initial feedback has been encouraging.”

However, those goals have been aided by a highly successful series of tests, with the factory buoyed by the positive feedback delivered from experienced factory racer Espargaró.

“Aleix likes the new bike and has some rather clear ideas on which characteristics have the most room for improvement, so we will be working in those areas throughout the season. The racing department put in a lot of effort during the winter break. Everyone understands the importance of the challenge we are facing and our front fairing is just the most visible example of Aprilia’s dedication to innovation.

“During the tests we stayed in a group of very competitive bikes and riders, where just a few tenths of a second can make a big difference. Our goal, after showing that we can consistently battle for the top ten, is to improve further.”