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Category: Superbikes
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RENEWED COLLABORATION BETWEEN SPRINT FILTER AND APRILIA RACING
The positive start of the MotoGP season for Aprilia Racing is also an opportunity to renew a consolidated technical partnership with Sprint Filter. A leading high performance air filter and intake system manufacturer, Sprint Filter equips not only the RS-GP bikes ridden by Aleix Espargaró and Lorenzo Savadori, but also the Italian racing department's entire range of sport bikes. Bikes like the new RS 660 Trofeo, the most recent jewel of the track produced by Aprilia Racing, or the special “X” editions of the Tuono V4 and RSV4 and the Aprilia 250 Sport Production bikes, protagonists in the category of the same name established in 2020.
Founded in 1952, Sprint Filter began making high performance air filters and intake systems, extremely innovative even then, working in collaboration with the best fuel system manufacturers and the top teams. From the early fifties, research and development of new filtering fabrics and intake systems have been at the base of the creation of Sprint Filter products.
Thanks to the experience gained in more than sixty-five years of activity, which makes it the oldest company in the world for the automotive performance filtering segment, Sprint Filter is able to meet any type of need, from a simple sport filter to replace the original, all the way to entire intake systems in carbon fibre, fibreglass and various plastic materials, with filtering elements that use special, precision calibrated polyester fabrics.
From 2021, Sprint Filter modernised its production systems and launched a new bike line, becoming the leading supplier in MotoGP, providing products to more than 70% of the teams - collaboration which guarantees constant development of the product.
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IN THE CATALUNYA GP ALEIX WILL START FROM THE THIRD ROW
POOR GRIP DOESN’T HELP LORENZO SAVADORI
For his home GP, Aleix Espargarò will start from the first spot on the third row after qualifiers where he did the seventh-best time, less than 4 tenths behind the pole position time and less than two tenths from the front row. It could have been an even better position if it hadn’t been for a mistake on his last flying lap.
In any case, both rider and bike are consistent, with an RS-GP that continues confirming its competitiveness and Aleix consistently in Q2 from the start of the 2021 season.
On the other hand, Lorenzo Savadori, is struggling with poor grip, even crashing out in FP3. In fact, the Montmelò is characterised by asphalt that provides extremely low grip, making the riders’ job particularly difficult, especially those in their rookie year like Lorenzo.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"To be honest, I must say that, after Qatar, this is the track where I am least able to exploit the strong points of the new RS-GP. So, it may seem strange, but I am satisfied, because in spite of this, I was able to be competitive both in terms of pace and on the flying lap in qualifying. If I had been able to finish the last lap, I may have been able to start from even farther forward, but I risked a high side on the same turn where Jack crashed. Tyre choice will clearly be fundamental here. I still need to meet with the engineers, but we’ll analyse the situation extremely carefully."
LORENZO SAVADORI
"We tried some different solutions today, but without finding any great improvements. In qualifying, I lost a lot of time on the last sector. I could have done a bit better, but we are still close. For the race tomorrow, choosing the right tyre will be extremely important, and then managing it well with the electronics strategies. That is the factor that can really make the difference here."
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APPOINTMENT IN CATALUNYA FOR MOTOGP
NEW EXAMS FOR THE APRILIA RS-GP
Just a few days after leaving the Mugello Circuit, the MotoGP convoy heads to Barcelona, Spain, for the Catalunya GP. Another demanding track, made even trickier by weather which, if the forecast is right, will be anything but stable.
Aleix and Lorenzo will arrive comforted by a 2021 RS-GP that is proving to be extremely competitive in decidedly different conditions and layouts. So, it is a project that started well and where work is now focused on the details. A fundamental aspect in a fiercely competitive championship like MotoGP.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"My home track is always a special round. This is where my passion for motorcycling was born. Besides that, I think it’s an extremely fascinating track and I can’t wait to tackle it with the 2021 RS-GP. I had some concerns about my arm after what happened on Friday and Saturday in Mugello, but then in the race I didn’t have any problems, so that is comforting. We are consistently in the group of the best, so hopefully we’ll be able to take another step forward here."
LORENZO SAVADORI
"The last time I lapped in Barcelona was 2010 with the 125, so I won’t have any points of reference, also because the track has changed in the meantime. I’m curious to see what happens because the 2021 bike is proving perform extremely consistently on vastly different tracks, so we have the chance to grow and improve constantly."
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MOTOGP RETURNS TO MUGELLO FOR THE ITALIAN GP
APRILIA READY FOR THEIR FIRST HOME RACE
After the cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MotoGP is back to tackle one of the most attractive circuits on the calendar. In fact, riders and staff consider Mugello special asphalt, both because of its location and for its characteristics: fast direction changes, slops, a long straight with the iconic downhill at over 300 kph. This edition will be lacking the splendid choreography of the Italian fans - a painful but necessary choice.
For Aprilia, this will be the first home race. The Italian team is arriving after having demonstrated consistent growth in terms of performance, only slightly hindered by the disappointment in Le Mans. After the French race, Aleix underwent surgery to correct a problem with compartment syndrome and to be at full fitness for Mugello. A decision encouraged by his recovery which is proceeding without a hitch.
Good signals from Lorenzo Savadori, as well, fast throughout last weekend in less-than-optimum conditions. The Italian MotoGP rookie is tackling every race with the goal of reducing the gap behind the best, managing to maintain the trend thus far, and in his home race he’ll be looking for further motivation.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"Mugello is a demanding track, even from a physical point of view. Precisely for this reason, I decided to have surgery on my arm after Le Mans, taking advantage of the break for a full recovery. The operation was perfect and I’ll be at the first Italian race in good form. It is an important round for the team on a circuit that has never been our favourite. But now we can count on a decidedly competitive 2021 RS-GP and I can’t wait to see how it will perform in Mugello."
LORENZO SAVADORI
"Le Mans was definitely a good weekend, although the particular conditions preclude an accurate comparison. What counts for me is to continue reducing the gap, improving my confidence on the RS-GP and increasing my experience in this category. It is a path that takes time. Aprilia is supporting me with all of my requests and I am trying to speed up the learning curve. I can’t wait to race in Mugello. It’s a track that I know well, but I've never tackled it astride a MotoGP bike."
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The partnership continues between Sifa SpA and Gresini Racing who will be once again side by side in a very important season. Sifa, one of the biggest packaging companies in Italy, will be - for the second year in a row – technical sponsor o the Faenza-based squad and its brand will be visible inside the Gresini Racing hospitality. 
A family-run company with decades of experience, it currently has three factories in Italy based on a packaging production system with a circular economy design. This is an institution in which design, use and re-use are part of a perfectly synced context of innovation, performance improvement and collaboration with the biggest worldwide technology producers.
LUIGI TRASARTI – CEO AND LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE
“This partnership started in 2020 has surely been a successful one and this is courtesy of the Gresini Racing project, which we joined wholeheartedly this year, too. We feel as an integral part of the #GresiniFamily and it is a pleasure to continue together in this season, which we hope will be a very successful one.”
CARLO MERLINI – GRESINI RACING MARKETING AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
“To continue together is always important and last year we started a great journey together which I’m happy to continue also in 2021. It will be a different season for the reasons we all know, but we’re ready to do our best.”
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