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Category: Moto GP
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ALEIX ESPARGARÓ IS FAST STRAIGHT AWAY ON THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE IN QATAR
MAVERICK VIÑALES FINISHES JUST 55 ONE HUNDREDTHS OUTSIDE THE TOP TEN
Under Losail’s floodlights in Qatar, the 2022 MotoGP world championship kicked off with the first day of free practice.
After a winter season of positive tests, the new Aprilia RS-GP shone with Aleix Espargaró, consistently in the group of leaders from the first practice session and then easily making it into the top ten, thanks to a seventh-place time of 1’53.886. Both the ranking and the time could have been significantly better if Aleix hadn’t had to cross trajectories with Viñales on the final turn of the decisive lap.
With this great performance, Aleix has a good chance to get a spot in Q2 if, as seems likely, the temperature conditions in FP3 tomorrow, scheduled for 1:15 PM local time, should make it extremely difficult for everyone to improve on their times from this evening.
Maverick Viñales, on the other hand, on this track for the first time astride an Aprilia, remained consistently just outside the top ten, busy testing various settings but without finding the best solution. He finished with the eighteenth time at 1’54.524.
Aleix Espargaró
“It was a positive day. I’m pleased because we started well. The bike is proving to be better than the one last year and I had the potential to finish much closer to the top. But it’s all good. The important thing today was to finish in the top ten and we did that. I feel fast and we’ll try to do well in qualifying tomorrow because here, with such a long straight, getting out front straight away is extremely important.”
Maverick Viñales
“I would have liked to have been farther forward but I’m not worried. It’s just that adapting to a new circuit for this new bike was complicated. The references on the track changed completely and obviously we have not had time here to test many solutions like we were able to do during the winter tests. We tried going in a direction which wasn’t the right one, but now it seems clear where we need to make changes. We need to keep working and improve in every session, beginning already tomorrow.”
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A very important three-day test has drawn to a close today at Lombok, which also ended winter testing for MotoGP. Team Gresini showed they can be among the protagonists straight from the get-go with an excellent performance by Bastianini both at Sepang and Mandalika, while Fabio Di Giannantonio has already proved he can comfortably be within the premier class. The Mandalika Circuit has surely presented some challenges for the two riders: track conditions were never perfect and line mistakes, which are absolutely normal on a new track, came with a big price to pay.
Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed unhurt twice, one on the opening day (turn ten) and the other on the second and final day (turn 11): both crashes came after similar mistakes, as the rider #49 lost the front-end and tumbled onto the very-wide gravel traps of the Indonesian track. The Rome-born rider did well in making sure those setbacks did not affect him as he worked both on time attack and race pace, with the priority being to improve his feeling with the Desmosedici GP21 machine.
Enea Bastianini had another great weekend, on a track that does not suit his riding style perfectly. Less late braking, but great feeling especially in the fast part of the track and with soft tyres, which helped the premier class sophomore log the 13th quickest time on the Ducati – one tenth shy of top five. One thing the Italian did remarkably well was to find his time attack lap in a matter of a few minutes, which is something absolutely crucial qualifying-wise ahead of the season.
13th - ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’31.599 – 129 laps)
“It was a very positive test, and we’re ready for Qatar. I got to know the 2021 bike properly, even though I also liked it at Jerez. Today’s result is not very indicative… We only worked on the race pace and the feeling was excellent. Things are going great with the team and I think we made a step forward even compared to Sepang: the more time we spend on the bike, the more we can be competitive. We have a little more experience compared to last season and honestly speaking it is also easier to work with the team: now I know what to ask for and what to tell them. I just can’t wait now.”
21st - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’31.915 – 149 laps)
“It has been a positive preseason for us. We improved a lot aboard the Ducati and we managed to do so day after day. Today we also did a race simulation and we’re very happy. We are still in our early ‘school’ days but there’s plenty of motivation to do well. Compared to Sepang - where we lost a few days - we made an important step forward and now we need to keep both feet on the ground and think one step at the time. Qatar is around the corner so now it will be about anxiously waiting for another three weeks.”
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ALEIX AND MAVERICK CONSISTENT ONCE AGAIN ON THE NEW INDONESIAN CIRCUIT AND READY FOR THE FIRST 2022 RACE IN QATAR
New track, same feedback: on the Indonesian circuit of Mandalika, just like in Sepang, the 2022 Aprilia RS-GP once again proved to be a project with good potential. Over the course of the three days of testing, the last tests before the official season start in Qatar, Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales put the new prototypes to the test and agreeing that the work done by Aprilia’s techs has passed with flying colours.
The track, where the second race of the season will be held, did not offer a great deal of grip for this first approach. This is a complicated situation, but also a chance to see how the new bike reacts in less than optimum grip conditions. The good sensations perceived in Malaysia were confirmed, not only by the lap times, but especially by the good feelings both riders had in terms of overall improvements to the bike, with plenty of margin to work with and a good base to take to Qatar.
Aleix Espargaró
"We can’t evaluate the worth of preseason tests so much based on times as on the confidence that we’ve done a good job. From this point of view, I think that both Aprilia and I are headed to Qatar with a good base. The new bike has demonstrated improvements in all areas. We can and must improve, that much is certain, also because my goal is to do better than last year. It will not be at all simple because, in my opinion, this will be the most competitive and demanding MotoGP season ever."
Maverick Viñales
"I'm pleased with our tests. It’s still early to define our level with certainty, but the new RS-GP proved to be fast on two extremely different tracks like Sepang and Mandalika. My feeling also improved progressively, although I still can't say it’s perfect, while Aprilia’s techs are getting better and better at meeting my needs. I still need time in the saddle, especially on race weekends, because I feel like I still have plenty of margin to be faster. In any case, I'm feeling positive ahead of the first race in Qatar - a track where I have always been comfortable."
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AN ADVANCED RS-GP AND THREE TOP-LEVEL RIDERS: ALEIX ESPARGARÓ, MAVERICK VIÑALES, AND TEST RIDER LORENZO SAVADORI
ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FIRST WORLD TITLE, APRILIA RACING IS FINALLY ON THE GRID AS A FACTORY TEAM.
MASSIMO RIVOLA: "A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO ADDED MOTIVATION"
ROMANO ALBESIANO: "THE NEW RS-GP IS THE PROFOUND EVOLUTION OF AN ALREADY OUTSTANDING PROJECT"
The year 2022 marks an important time for Aprilia Racing in its young MotoGP history. In fact, the Italian team gains Factory Team status, yet another step forward in a growth trend that has been clear over the last two seasons, culminating in the podium at Silverstone last year, a result that Aprilia had never before achieved in its history in MotoGP.
At the end of the 2021 season, Aleix Espargaró finished eighth in the overall championship standings, moving up nine positions and tripling the points he had earned in the previous seasons. This is a great result which is only the starting point for the 2022 evolution, a season where Aprilia will be on the grid with a profoundly revamped RS-GP with respect to what has proven to be a good technical base. Not only the results, but more than anything else, the gap behind the best riders (never before so consistently low in the brand’s history), convinced the racing department engineers to focus their work on all areas of performance. Without revolutionising, but with the innovative ability that has always made Aprilia’s efforts stand out in racing.
Taking the new RS-GP machines onto the track will be a line-up of extremely high-level riders. Riding alongside the ultra-confirmed “team captain” Aleix Espargaró will be Maverick Viñales, the newest member of the Aprilia family. Carrying out the dual role of tester and wild-card rider will be Lorenzo Savadori, the young rider who has demonstrated consistent progress since his début in an extremely demanding category.
Aleix Espargaró
“I can't wait to get back on the track with my team. After many years together, they are no longer just mechs and techs. They are truly part of my family and, from that point of view, the winter break always seems too long. I'm extremely pumped up. The years may pass, but I am still just as hungry as I was when I began and I'm at the top of my game physically. For the first tests, I chose a helmet with graphics dedicated to all Aprilia’s fist podiums in the various classes, including the one we earned together at Silverstone. It seems like the right way to kick off the season and pay tribute to this brand’s great racing heritage. The goal is obviously to add more images to this gallery”.
Maverick Viñales
“From my first moment on this team, I realised that I had been chosen for a purpose - to take Aprilia to the top of modern MotoGP. This is the goal we are all working towards. I don’t think it’s fair to make predictions. I prefer focusing on the job at hand and on preparing because I believe that results are a direct consequence of our efforts. We had the great opportunity of getting to know one another ahead of time, doing a few races together and beginning to understand our reciprocal needs. We’ll need to exploit this advantage as much as possible. I am highly satisfied with the job the racing department did over the winter and now all that’s left is to show our progress on the track”.
Lorenzo Savadori
“The role of tester, also considering the fact that I’ll do some wild card races, is extremely important in MotoGP. Everyone at Aprilia is working hard to improve the RS-GP even more. We are competing in a category where continued investments of time, resources, and efforts is indispensable. The overall level of our rivals is extremely high, but we are growing and we need to continue this trend. I’ve been part of this project since 2020 and I have grown along with the RS-GP, a bike that has consistently and progressively improved, and I'm confident that it will take another step forward in this new season”.
Massimo Rivola
“This is an important season. We are coming into MotoGP as a Factory Team precisely on the thirtieth anniversary of Aprilia’s first World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing title, won with Alex Gramigni. This is a great responsibility, but also an injection of extra motivation. The racing department is now a group of highly skilled individuals who work extremely well together and with a strong Italian footprint that we are extremely proud of. We are working well and the competitiveness we demonstrated last year must be just the starting points. The ’21 season was a good one, but we need to forget about it straight away and look forward. In my opinion, the 2022 RS-GP will be the most beautiful bike on the grid and I hope that it will also be one of the fastest. I think we have done some significant work, certain of the direction we have taken. We have three top-level riders: the "team captain" Aleix and a great champion like Maverick who we are getting to know better and better every day. Lorenzo will be our test rider. In spite of a season conditioned by injuries, he demonstrated significant growth and he will be a big help in developing the project”.
Romano Albesiano
“The RS-GP 2022 is a profound evolution of the outstanding base used in 2021. We focused on the main performance areas. The engine has undergone significant internal changes, maintaining the previous layout. The aerodynamics are constantly evolving and the chassis architecture and software areas have been revamped with the goal of improving important aspects such as braking, acceleration and the starting strategy. We have three riders with very different characteristics, both physically and in terms of riding style, and that means that we are able to develop a bike which is effective in a wider range of needs. In recent years, we have seen an uptick in performance, including our own, which is why we worked particularly hard during the winter break. I'm confident that we will have good cards to play in the 2022 championship season”.
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ALEIX AND MAVERICK FAST STRAIGHT AWAY BUT IT’S THE FEELING THAT GIVES THEM MORE CONFIDENCE
AFTER SEPANG, THE SECOND AND FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST WILL BE INDONESIA
Even with all the caution demanded by the circumstances, this is definitely a good début for the new Aprilia RS-GP in 2022 version. On the track in Sepang (Malaysia) for the first tests of the season, the new Italian bike provided immediate positive feedback in the able hands of tester Lorenzo Savadori, sensations which were then confirmed when Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales tested it.
After three days dedicated to the shakedown (the first real test of the new prototypes), it was time for the entire MotoGP class to have two days of official testing. It was clear by the end of the sessions that the competition is still extremely fierce, with 19 riders all within one second of one another. In any case, the stopwatch confirmed that Aprilia is on the right path, with Aleix second, just 26 thousandths of a second behind the leader and beating the track record. Maverick was also fast straight away, just 130 thousandths of a second behind, riding his RS-GP to fifth place.
However, although the times may not provide the most accurate picture of the situation, since they were achieved by all during true time attacks on soft tyres, feedback on the feeling is a different story. And this is why Aprilia is confident as they head to the new Indonesian Mandalika track for the second and final pre-season tests.
Aleix Espargaró
"I must thank the staff in Noale. Albesiano and all the engineers did a good job. From the first time I swung a leg over, during a photo shoot, I noticed how sleek and compact the new RS-GP is, and I know how hard it is to achieve this result. The ergonomics, the frame and all the new features make it extremely agile, letting me improve on corners speed, especially in fast turns. However, we still need to consider that this is just the first test and that we are all extremely close. The current level of MotoGP is absolutely incredible. We’ll keep working and I can’t wait to turn laps on the new Mandalika circuit too."
Maverick Viñales
"I'm pleased with this first test. I felt extremely comfortable on the bike. I was especially surprised by our race pace, with used tyres, whereas on the flying lap, I am still unable to fully exploit the bike’s potential. When you try to find the limit, and you have to do that often in MotoGP today, the feeling has to be more than perfect, but I am still making a few mistakes. I need to get used to the way this bike behaves when I'm looking for maximum performance and that’s a process we’re working on."
Lorenzo Savadori
"The 2022 bike seems like a clear step forward. I did some tests here aimed specifically at setting up Aleix and Maverick’s work, since this is the first shakedown of a new project. I can’t wait to get start on the actual testing programme, which will let us grow the RS-GP even further. The base is there. They did a great job and you can tell straight away."
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