Category: Superbikes

1. DIGGIA FORCED TO RETIRE FROM #INDIANGP RACE

   Posted on 2:00pm Sunday 24th Sep 2023

   The still-injured shoulder halted Fabio Di Giannantonio’s journey to what would have been a very promising top-nine finish at Buddh International Circuit in what was the first-ever #IndianGP of MotoGP history. It was a performance full of heart for the Italian, who got all the way up to eighth place before giving during the final laps due to a painful left shoulder.   It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Italian, who well impressed both in Q1 and in the sprint race yesterday – the latter finished in the top ten. It will be key to recover as much as possible for the Japanese event taking place next weekend.   Meanwhile, Alex Marquez is already on the way back to Madrid where he will need around ten days of full rest before heading to Lombok for the #IndonesianGP. The Spaniard, who will not attend the Japanese Grand Prix, will not be replaced.   DNF - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 “I was having an excellence race, I had a great pace and the top speed was better compared to yesterday. I started off in an aggressive way as I could do that and the bike was excellent. We have been competitive throughout the whole weekend but unfortunately at some point the shoulder prevented me from riding. I basically couldn’t control the bike anymore and was forced to retire. I’m really sorry for the team, unfortunately this is an injury I’ve been carrying since Misano and it’s making things more complicated for us.”

2. COMPLICATED DAY FOR APRILIA IN INDIA

   Posted on 4:00pm Saturday 23rd Sep 2023

   MAVERICK EIGHTH IN THE SPRINT RACE, ALEIX CRASHES OUT The good start from yesterday, unfortunately did not continue on qualifying and Sprint day. Maverick and Aleix struggled more than expected on the technical and demanding Indian track, both in qualifying and in the Sprint race. Fortunately, the rainfall did not influence the sessions beyond delaying the start of the Sprint Race, in any case held on basically dry asphalt. In qualifying, the Aprilia riders were unable to do better than the ninth (Maverick) and tenth (Aleix) best times. In the Sprint Race, Aleix lost a lot of ground on the first turn avoiding the crashed bikes and then he crashed out in the finale as he attempted to make up positions. Maverick finished in the points with eighth place – a positive note along with Raùl Fernandez’s top-10 finish – but certainly not in line with his and the team’s ambitions.   ALEIX "Let’s be realistic – it was not a good day. Yesterday, the feeling was good, whereas today the others improved more than we did. Less than perfect qualifying meant starting from behind and then on the first turn I had to go wide to get around the crashed bikes, so in my eagerness to make up positions, I crashed. In the long race, I expect to battle at least in the top six. With more laps to race, there is space to exploit our pace better." MAVERICK "We had some difficulties on the braking sections again today. The positive thing is that in the Sprint race we collected a lot of information on how to work in view of tomorrow. During weekends like this one, where we struggle more than expected, the important thing is to stay calm and use the difficulties to grow and learn. By understanding the situation and finding a way to react, we are able to improve."

3. MAVERICK VIÑALES FIFTH IN MISANO

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 11th Sep 2023

   A GREAT BRAND RESULT FOR APRILIA WITH THREE BIKES IN THE TOP EIGHT

   Maverick Viñales took another positive placement in the top five, finishing fifth at the GP of San Marino and the Riviera of Rimini. Taking the position just behind the leaders in the early stages of the race, Maverick basically maintained his pace all the way to the end, almost never having to engage in battle.

   In the Emilia Romagna GP, Aprilia achieved a nice brand result with three RS-GP machines finishing in the top eight. In fact, in addition to Maverick’s fifth place, Miguel Oliveira and Raùl Fernandez finished sixth and eighth respectively. The team RNF standard bearers thereby contributed to confirmation of what the Aprilias had demonstrated on Saturday in qualifying, when four went through to Q2.

   In the race, Aleix Espargaró’s sharp performance was missing after winning just seven days ago in Barcelona. He substantially compromised his performance in the early stages after the start, dropping back several positions. An analysis of his pace shows speed similar to that of the top-5 finishers, but difficulty overtaking kept him from achieving a better position. His 12th place means four Important points in the hunt for fourth place in the overall championship standings.

   ALEIX
   “The result is obviously not good, but I gambled away the race at the start. I lost positions and found myself in a group where we all had a very similar pace. Struggling to overtake, despite laptimes that were actually good, I was unable to do better than I did. We knew that this would be a complicated track for us, both for the characteristics of the RS-GP and because I don’t particularly like the layout. From here on out, I have good feelings, plus we’ll be able to use the test tomorrow to try some solutions to improve in these conditions.”

   MAVERICK
   “Being disappointed with a top-5 finish is a good sign. It means that we have raised the bar and we want to stay out front. I expected more this weekend – I won’t hide that – but we struggled more than expected when grip increased, especially in braking. It’s a question of balance – compromise in the setup – that we need to work on. Already in the test tomorrow, I definitely want to improve in braking in these conditions.”

    

4. MOTOGP TEST AT MISANO

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 10th Sep 2023

   A TASTE OF 2024 AND REFINEMENTS FOR 2023: ALEIX, MAVERICK, MIGUEL, AND RAÙL AT WORK IN THE MISANO TESTS

   
   The action at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli did not end with the races yesterday but continued with a day of official MotoGP testing today. These were two sessions that Aprilia dedicated to both the initial 2024 material tests and refinements to the 2023 package. This was the case for the factory team, whereas in the RNF camp, Miguel Oliveira had the chance to throw a leg over the latest evolution of the RS-GP.

   Overall, it was a positive day, and not only from a “times” point of view. Preparation for the long series of overseas rounds which will begin with India in two weeks has Aprilia in a good situation, both technically and in terms of high morale. On the other side of things, looking towards 2024, work is moving right along, with the team well aware that they already have an extremely competitive base.

   ALEIX
   “With Aprilia we are at a level where no revolutionary changes are necessary. To the contrary, we need to avoid the risk of creating confusion. The Test Team is working hard, the engineers have a lot of data to analyse, and from here to Valencia, they’ll have time to prepare the 2024 material. We’ve already tested some things – a different frame with pros and cons and a lot of components. We also know how particular this track is, especially after a race weekend, so it isn’t the ideal setting to draw conclusions. We have a series of races ahead of us where we have every possibility of doing well.”

   MAVERICK
   “The test went well. Our goal was to improve in braking and we found some interesting solutions, at the same time continuing work on the start and the way the bike performs in high grip conditions. Personally, I feel good in the saddle. I know we’ll be able to take another step forward, but I’m already having fun riding this Aprilia.”

   ROMANO ALBESIANO
   “Very interesting day, with the few tests available and the many things to try it is always complex to organise the work. Using these opportunities well can make the difference, we can consider ourselves satisfied. We are laying the foundations of our 2024 project, which will not be a revolution but a careful evolution of an already very performing package. Every piece of data and every comparison helps us to define the technical path to follow. In addition to Aleix and Maverick's input, Miguel's comment on his first outing with the latest RS-GP was important. He is a fast rider but at the same time precise and analytical, he can help us on our path of growth.”

    

    

5. CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA – SATURDAY

   Posted on 6:00pm Saturday 9th Sep 2023

   APRILIA DOUBLE PODIUM – THE FIRST IN HISTORY! ALEIX DOMINATES THE SPRINT RACE AND MAVERICK IS THIRD

   
   The numbers usually don’t lie, except when it comes to modern MotoGP, because even though the practice session times seemed to foreshadow good potential for Aprilia, you can never rule anything out when it comes to battling in the race.
   Aleix’s win came at the end of a fiercely fought Sprint race, where Bagnaia started well from pole position, taking the lead in the early laps. The Aprilia rider overtook first Martin and then his teammate, setting off after the leader, followed by Maverick. During the sixth lap, Aleix pulled the pin. Taking advantage of the RS-GP’s acceleration coming out of the final turn and the power of his V4, he came alongside Bagnaia in the first braking, setting up a clean and decisive overtake. Once out front, the hometown rider’s best pace came out, catapulting him to his first Sprint Race win, finishing with a gap of almost two full seconds.
   Maverick finished on the third step of the podium after an outstanding race where he just missed second place (by 51 thousandths) after recovering from near contact with Martin. Ahead of the final stretch, he had an opening to attempt overtaking but, partly due to front tyre wear, Viñales decided not to gamble on any risky manoeuvres.
   Today’s result is a historic one for the Italian manufacturer. Never before in MotoGP history had two Aprilias shared the podium.
   ALEIX
   “I wish to dedicate this win to our President, Roberto Colaninno. He would have been proud to see where we’ve taken his bike and it is thanks to his support as well that we are able to celebrate such an important team result. I felt good today. Pecco started very strong – so much that I thought I might just stay behind him and have a go in the finale. However, at a certain point I had the confidence to overtake him and set my own pace. Today’s Sprint Race showed me that the true key to the race is the front tyre. Even today, we had to manage it, so with twice as many laps and higher temperatures tomorrow, it will be difficult.”
   MAVERICK
   “Today’s result is fantastic for all of us. Managing to put two Aprilias on the podium is incredible. I’m happy for all the members of the team and I think it is only right to dedicate it to our President. I’m satisfied with my result even if I wasn’t able to overtake Bagnaia at the end. I tried, but he was very good at defending in braking and I did not want to risk contact. Tomorrow we’ll tackle another demanding race, especially in terms of tyre wear. Already today in the Sprint Race, the front tyre suffered a drop and that may be the element that kept me from being more incisive. In any case, we have a lot of data available to work with now. We know we have the pace to be able to battle for the podium tomorrow too.”