THE APRILIAS ARE SUPER COMPETITIVE IN LE MANS, HINDERED BY THE EVENTS OF AN EXTREMELY HEATED RACE

MAVERICK ENDS UP IN THE GRAVEL IN A DUEL WITH BAGNAIA AFTER DEMONSTRATING THE POTENTIAL TO AIM FOR VICTORY

ALEIX LOSES EIGHT POSITIONS IN THE OPENING BATTLE, COMES BACK AND FINISHES IN AN OUTSTANDING FIFTH PLACE

AND NOW IT’S OFF TO MISANO FOR APRILIA ALL STARS!

This press release must find a way to convey how the Le Mans race leaves Aprilia Racing both with feelings of great disappointment and great strength in view of the upcoming events, beginning from the next round in Mugello.

In the French race, Maverick Viñales ended up in the gravel after contact with Bagnaia as he was completing a manoeuvre to overtake the Ducati rider but not before he had the time, in almost four laps, to show that he was fast enough today to be in the running for the win. At that moment, Maverick was moving up toward the race lead after a good start from the second row, demonstrating speed and clean riding, fully supported by an RS-GP in grand form.

Things went a bit better for Aleix Espargaró who, also off the line well from the eleventh spot on the grid, had already moved into sixth place when he dropped down no fewer than ten positions during a battle that included contact among several riders on the first lap. From there, he rode a brilliant comeback race to finish fifth, just behind the riders who were battling for the podium.

The next event for all the Aprilia riders and enthusiasts is set for 27 May at the Misano circuit for Aprilia All Stars. This is the huge Aprilia celebration starring the riders and bikes which have written motorcycling history. The RS-GP machines will be on the track with Espargaró, Viñales, Oliveira, Fernandez, and Savadori (who finished with an outstanding twelfth place today for the RNF satellite team). And with them will be Aprilia World Champions Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi, plus many other riders and friends of the Aprilia brand from the sport and entertainment world. Entry is free of charge and the paddock will be livened up by music and events for the entire day on Saturday, 27 May.

Aleix
"The first thing I did today was apologise to the team for the mistake in qualifying, which did not make things easy in the two races. I started well today and then there was the usual chaos so I lost time trying to avoid it and found myself rather far back. I recovered and I had a great pace. Toward the end, I would have been able to have a go with Augusto but it wasn’t worth the risk of ruining his great race too. The good thing is that the RS-GP continues to be fast on every track and that is the most important thing. Now we’ll recharge and get ready for the upcoming races."

Maverick
"I’m angry, not so much about what happened but because of the lost opportunity. I felt really strong today and I’m sure I would have been battling for the win. It was one of those races where, as a rider, you just feel like you have a little something more. Bagnaia and I are two professional riders. It was an unfortunate contact and the adrenaline of the moment had us heated up, but the one thing that is clear is that we riders – all of us – need to settle down and be an example for the young people. The regret remains but no controversy. It happened and we’ll keep looking forward as early as Mugello. Here in Le Mans we demonstrated once again that we are extremely fast and we improved a lot of things this weekend."

The French GP’s traditional full Sunday race at Le Mans was an elimination game, with only 14 riders able to make it to the finish line. Alex Marquez is among those who left the battle early on as he was the unlucky co-protagonist of a dangerous coming together with Marini, who was trying a desperate save after losing control of his Ducati machine. The collision was inevitable and led to a bitter, early end to the Spaniard’s weekend. 
 
It was a completely different Sunday for Fabio Di Giannantonio as today’s eighth place equals his so-far best result in MotoGP (Sachsenring 2022), with the Italia who has been constantly in the top ten in the last four GPs.

It was a Saturday with no glory for Team Gresini Racing MotoGP with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez who could not finish higher than 12^th and 15^th, respectively, in the first encounter at Le Mans.

The two standard bearers of Gresini Racing had opposite type of performances: the Italian rider had a not-so-good start from row five but put together a solid performance pace-wise. On the other hand, the Spaniard #73 was among the protagonists at the start of the race and in the battle for the points before a coming together with the fellow Spanish rider Espargaró.

With six laps left, the #41 was a bit too hot entering turn ten and ended up pushing Marquez wide (the contact was clearly visible on the front-right wing) and in the back of the pack. He finished 15^th with something to complain about.

Triumph will be returning to Motorcycle Live at the NEC from 18-26 November and we hope we’ll see you there.  

We’d love to hear what could make this year’s show even better for you, not just on the Triumph stand, but during your whole visit.

Have your say on what you’d like to see at this year’s Motorcycle Live by taking part in this short survey.

Didn’t attend Motorcycle Live over the last couple of years? Well, we still want to hear from you! Please complete the survey to share what could tempt you this year.

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Sunday 14th May - 9am – 5pm
 
Ace Cafe London’s annual BMW Bike Day, Sunday 14th May 2023 celebrates all that is BMW Motorrad. 

This year is the marques centennial of having produced motorcycles since 1923 and the 50th “Golden” anniversary of the renowned Daytona WSB race winning, R90s flagship boxer model launched by BMW originally in 1973, a bike that today is as popular as ever.

With a long history of racing success, including at WSB and at the IoM TT  and manufacturing bikes since 1923, the long heritage includes the two-valve and four-valve shaft drive boxer “twins”, the singles and their chains, the parallel twins, from the R80GS “Air head” debut machines produced between 1980-1995 and “Para levers”, to “Oil heads”, the F’s,  HP4’s, 1000RR’s, RnineT’s, and the latest R1250GS’s and R18 boxers, along with other models from the extensive BMW array, all are to be celebrated and enjoyed on this special anniversary “treffen” day at the Ace

From “classics” to “carbon”, “Make Life A Ride” and show and share yours!

See you at the Ace!