Category: Moto GP

1. ALEIX ESPARGARÓ AND APRILIA ON THE FRONT ROW IN THE GP OF SPAIN

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 1st May 2022

   MAVERICK VIÑALES ALSO FINISHES FP3 IN THE TOP TEN TO START FROM THE FOURTH ROW TOMORROW

   NARROW GAPS FOR LORENZO SAVADORI

   The Aleix Espargaró and 2022 Aprilia RS-GP duo proves yet again to be one of the most competitive in MotoGP, with the Spaniard once again putting in a stellar performance, finishing the Spanish GP qualifiers with the third best time overall at 1’36”933.
   As happened one week ago in Portugal, this means that Aleix will be on the front row of the starting grid for the Grand Prix race scheduled for tomorrow and for which he has shown that his pace is on par with the best.

   After a positive morning where he finished FP3 in fifth place with a time of 1’36”975, thereby going straight through to Q2, Maverick Viñales was unable to achieve the same feeling in qualifying, stopping the clock at 1’37”675, partly due to two yellow flags that voided his best attempts. Although on the fourth row of the starting grid, Maverick, like Aleix, can still count on the outstanding race pace he demonstrated in FP4.

   Also on the rise is Lorenzo Savadori who, despite not focusing his weekend on pure performance, has still skilfully reduced the gap behind more experienced riders.

   ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
   "These were not simple qualifiers. To be honest, I wasn’t very optimistic. From the first session, I felt comfortable with the race tyre, but there were problems with chattering every time we attempted a time attack with the soft tyre. But today I really gave 110%. Usually it isn’t a good idea to take so many risks, but today this strategy paid off. It was extremely important to start from the front row because here in Jerez it isn’t easy to overtake, especially when the track get slippery in the heat. We can count on a good pace with the medium tyre. The bike is working well and running smoothly, so we’re confident and I can’t wait for the race to start!"

   MAVERICK VIÑALES
   "I’m disappointed with our performance in qualifying. It’s a pity to be on the fourth row because we had the potential to battle for the top spots. In FP3 we were fast and in FP4 too, we were competitive with the race tyre. With the used tyres I especially feel really strong. Unfortunately, in qualifying I did not find the same feeling and we still need to figure out why. I didn’t have much grip and I was unable to be fast. We’ll keep working hard for tomorrow and give it our all but it will undoubtedly not be an easy race."

   LORENZO SAVADORI
   "Qualifiers were better than in Portimão. With such narrow gaps, just a few tenths would have been enough to make a big step forward. In any case, I’m happy both for Aleix’s front row and for the new components that we are learning to use step by step."

2. TWO NEW MAN TGX 18.580 FOR THE GRESINI RACING TEAM

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 15th Apr 2022

   For the first European round, the Portuguese grand prix scheduled at the Algarve circuit on April 24th, there will be one more reason to have the Gresini Racing Team at the center of attention. In fact, on that occasion, the two flamboyant MAN TGX 18.580 will make their debut in the paddock.

   The two tractors are practically full optionals to ensure maximum comfort and safety on the road without neglecting a “racing” look, a distinctive feature of motorsport. Both externals and internals have been customized with the new liveries of the team designed by Aldo Drudi playing with colours and materials.
   
   FRANCO PEDROTTI – SALES AND PRODUCT TRUCK DIRECTOR OF MAN Truck & Bus Italia
   “This agreement with Gresini Racing confirms MAN's active presence in motorsport. The two new MAN TGX 18.580s will drive the fleet of Team Gresini as 'flagships' which, with their particular livery and captivating graphics, ideally continue the path traced with the famous designer Aldo Drudi for the homonymous Limited Edition. The Gresini Racing Team presents itself at the start of the 2022 season with many ambitions, new bikes and young riders with great prospects who are going to be part of a team with proven experience, which is best honoring the name and founder of the team. The first races confirmed our competitiveness with an amazing lead in the standings and as MAN we are honoured to be a partner in this Team”.
   
   NADIA PADOVANI - TEAM OWNER & TEAM PRINCIPAL GRESINI RACING
   “I am very happy to be able to announce this collaboration with MAN. In a world like ours where logistics plays a key role, it is very important to have a partner of this caliber at your side. Quality and reliability are exactly what we are looking for to deal with a logistics that becomes more and more challenging every year. I would therefore like to thank MAN for accompanying us on the asphalt of the roads to the inside of the paddock ... and that this is a good omen to do well on the asphalt of the circuits too!”.
   
   

3. BOTH APRILIA RS-GP MACHINES IN THE POINTS IN TEXAS

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 10th Apr 2022

   MAVERICK VIÑALES TENTH AND ALEIX ESPARGARÓ ELEVENTH IN THE GP OF THE AMERICAS

   ON A DIFFICULT TRACK, ANOTHER SOLID WEEKEND THAT BOOSTS CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF THE EUROPEAN PORTION OF THE SEASON

   Both Aprilias finished the Grand Prix of the Americas in the points, with Maverick Viñales tenth and Aleix Espargaró eleventh when the chequered flag waved. It is a result that does not reflect the true potential of the bike, but it should be considered positive bearing in mind that on the same circuit just a few months ago - in the race held in October - the RS-GP was clearly in difficulty.

   Starting from the fifth row of the grid, Maverick and Aleix took home valuable points for the championship and were the protagonists of another solid weekend which instils hope ahead of the European portion of the championship season. Viñales felt particularly at ease in the race, doing the third best time, whereas Espargaró is leaving a track that is particularly hard for him with third place in the overall rider championship.

   ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
   “I tried my best to be competitive here, but this is a track that I have never liked and it is also not the most favourable for our bike. In free practice and even in the warm-up session, I managed to maintain a good pace anyway, but from the first lap in the race I struggled with grip. Knowing that I wouldn’t be able to maintain the same pace as the best, I tried to be as fast as possible without making mistakes, because it was important to capitalise and earn some points even on a complicated weekend like this one. We have reason to be satisfied with this first portion of the season.”

   MAVERICK VIÑALES
   “To be honest, the bike was working extremely well today. I couldn’t have asked for more. The limitation, which we are working on intensely, is speed on the flying lap. In this season, with this level, starting from behind means compromising the race, even if your potential pace is high. In any case, I'm happy because the right feeling is just about there. I feel good on the Aprilia and I can’t wait to begin the European part of the calendar.”

4. BASTIANINI DOES NOT DISAPPOINT, HE WINS IN AMERICA AND GETS BACK IN THE LEAD

   Posted on 11:00am Sunday 10th Apr 2022

   #AmericasGP race. He was the favourite for the win yesterday, despite a fifth place on the grid behind other four Ducati machines: today Enea Bastianini showed he can excel under pressure in a race that in many ways remembered the triumphant ride in Qatar.

   After a good start, he managed his pace in the first part of the race behind Miller and Martin, before unleashing the ‘beast’: thanks to a frenetic pace, he crossed the finish line a lonely winner in Texas. The tally goes up to two wins (out of four races) with the rider #23 who returns to the top of the standings with a five-point advantage on Rins and 11 points on Espargaró.
   
   It was a difficult race on the other side of the pit-box, with Fabio Di Giannantonio unable to find the best feeling with the track as he struggled on corner exit on his way to a sub-par 21st place at the chequered flag. The return to Europe in two weeks will surely bring new energy to the #49, who is still looking for his first championship points.
   
   🏆 - ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (Championship leader – 61 points)
   “We had exactly this time of plan for the race. In the beginning I struggled a little in the first sector, but I chose to not take too many risks and try to tail Martin. Then when Rins came from behind and we almost collided, I decided it was time to push harder. I passed Jorge and then Jack: I saw I had a little extra and I tried. I made a few mistakes during my first lap in the lead, but then I was able to put together a good pace. This is a fantastic win, which is the result of incredible teamwork. We can be quick on every track, even though I’m living this season like a rookie, as I see that we still have something to learn from the others on the track.”
   
   21st - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49
   “We improved a lot during the weekend, but then the result in the race didn’t come. We still need to keep working and improving in every area. The race today was extremely hard, as I was losing a lot on corner exit: we’re still missing something in terms of electronics, so in the upcoming European back-to-back we will focus on that.”

5. ENEA BACK TOWARDS THE FRONT AT COTA

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 9th Apr 2022

   #AmericasGP Free Practice. The Gresini Racing MotoGP Team is back up to speed at the Circuit of The America in Austin, Texas, courtesy of an excellent performance by Enea Bastianini from already from the early minutes of this opening day of action. His fourth-quickest lap-time is the icing on the cake, as the pace shown in both Free Practice sessions bodes well for the rest of the weekend.
   
   Fabio Di Giannantonio showed an interesting progression that took him all the way up to 18th place in day one, with a remarkable improvement across the two sessions. Great teamwork allowed him to constantly improved his feeling with the Desmosedici GP21 machine on one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar.
   
   4th ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (2’02.284s)
   “I was able to recover the feeling I had at the start of the year, which we basically missed only in Argentina. We’re surely competitive although there’s till work to do. We performed really well on the single lap and that’s very important ahead of tomorrow. We still need to focus on the braking area and on long corners – but as I said the overall set-up is already there. During my best lap I got distracted a little due to a crash at 11 by another rider, meaning we could have done even a little better. We still have to make a decision regarding tyres: I liked the harder option at the front-end, but it’s too early to choose.”
   
   18th - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (2’04.367s)
   “We started off quite badly this morning, but we worked well, and with some important changes to the bike I was able to get more confident aboard my Ducati. I need to avoid focusing too on lap-time performances and results and rather think about finding the best feeling aboard the bike… the rest will come.”

   Today, in the Gresini pit-box there was a chance to do a little “time travel” between past and present with Toni Elias, who took part in quite a special photoshoot. 2006 and 2022 got together in the name of Fausto, to celebrate the last two MotoGP race wins by Gresini Racing.
   
   SPECIAL GUEST – TONI ELIAS
   “To be wearing those leathers again was absolutely fantastic. This is part of my life and surely a great memory, and I can still feel the emotions of a race that will surely remain in the history books. I would like to thank Gresini Racing for this moment, also because it’s important to celebrate Enea’s victory – maybe this is the best way to remember Fausto. This time is family to me, and it was a pleasure to share this moment with them.”