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Category: Moto GP
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THE RETURN OF A PAIRING THAT HAS WRITTEN MEMORABLE PAGES OF MOTORCYCLE HISTORY
THE SIX-TIME WORLD CHAMPION WILL REPRESENT APRILIA, COLLABORATING TO PROMOTE THE BRAND, ITS RACING TRADITION AND ITS PRODUCTS
Six-time world champion Max Biaggi is to be a global ambassador for the Aprilia brand, a role that he will have no trouble adapting to, given the many chapters of racing history that Max and Aprilia have written together, but one that is now made official.
Thanks to the countless victories scored on board the Noale manufacturer’s bikes, Max Biaggi has contributed like no other to projecting the Aprilia brand to the top of the world. His story, one of great passion, talent and a love for the work, has helped Aprilia to become one of the most successful manufacturers in the history of motorcycling racing, with a currently back catalogue of 54 world titles to its name.
Max Biaggi is the ideal ambassador then, embodying that Aprilia sporting DNA, but that is not all, as the Italian champion will also make an important contribution as Aprilia takes on the many challenges that lie ahead, offering his experience to promote thebrand, its racing tradition and its products.
MAX BIAGGI
“At what is a very important time for Aprilia, our stories will once again intertwine. As an enthusiast, I’ve been able to appreciate the progress of the MotoGP project which shows very interesting potential. I’m now proud – and confident – to be able to offer my experience in supporting an all-Italian brand as it continues to grow, both in terms of its racing spirit and its new products that will, as ever, have boast of that Aprilia racing character.”
Max Biaggi made his debut in the 250 world championship with Aprilia in 1991. The 250 title in 1994 was the first of an exceptional hat-trick that saw him dominate on the Italian bike up until 1996. The paths of Aprilia and Max (who in the meantime scored another world title in the 250 class) then separated until 2009, when Biaggi climbed on board the Aprilia RSV4 as the Noale manufacturer made a return to the Superbike World Championship.
Aprilia had never won the WSBK title but aimed to do just that with the futuristic RSV4. Its attempt to succeed in the series reserved to high-performance four strokes proved successful and Max rode the Italian V4 to victory in its debut season before dominating in 2010 and 2012, earning both the Riders and Manufacturers titles. He retired from racing following his 2012 title win, having achieved six world titles in all throughout his career, but the call of the track saw him make a brief return in 2015. Entered as a wildcard in the Malaysian round of the WorldSBK, he scored an incredible podium at the Sepang track, confirming, at 44 years of age, both his talent as a champion and the competitiveness of the Aprilia RSV4 project.
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SOLID RACE FOR SCOTT WHO FINISHES IN THE POINTS WITH FOURTEENTH PLACE, JUST BEHIND HIS TEAMMATE
Both of the Aprilia machines finished in the points in a spectacular race on the Dutch Assen track, the eighth round of the MotoGP Championship It was a race that, as the practice and qualifying days had foreshadowed, was characterised by a spectacular balance, so much that Espargaró and Redding missed the top ten even though they finished only 16 seconds behind the winner, Marquez.
For Aleix it was a disappointment explained by the conservative choice of putting a hard rear tyre on for the race. Off the line well from the third row – earned thanks to a brilliant qualifying session – Aleix was eighth at the end of the first lap, but then he lost five positions due to contact with Zarco. Clawing his way back up to thirteenth place was made difficult by the poor grip conditions his tyres provided throughout the race and he finished in that position, 15.986 seconds behind the leader.
Scott rode his best race yet astride the RS-GP on the historic Dutch track. Starting from the sixth row, Scott was seventeenth at the end of the first lap. Finding a good pace, he moved up through the pack until catching up, and on one occasion overtaking, his teammate. The fourteenth place finish, 16 seconds behind the winner, is a good result that shows the progress the English rider has made in the last two races.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I am not happy. Unfortunately, I made the wrong choice for the rear tyre. My Aprilia worked extremely well throughout the weekend on the soft, even if we were at the limit with wear. Precisely for this reason and after the wear problems at Mugello and the crash in Barcelona, I opted for the hard, thinking that it would be a safer choice. In reality, I did not have grip from the start, so all I could do was simply try to finish the race. A pity because we really worked well in all the sessions and then the worst came right at the decisive moment, where the points are earned."
SCOTT REDDING
"I am happy especially with the consistency I was able to maintain in the race. We made the right tyre choice. After warm up, I considered the hard option on the rear, thinking about duration, but after lapping well with the soft in practice, it was smart to ride the race with that one as well. I had fun, staying close to Pol and Aleix and managing to fend on Pedrosa's attacks. We worked well, calmly and without pressure and the results are clear. It is a small step forward. Now we need to continue in this direction."
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SCOTT REDDING IN THE POINTS
The hopes of Aleix Espargaró, comforted by his good qualifiers yesterday and especially by the good pace demonstrated both in FP4 and in the warm up, were dashed on the first lap when his V4 was stopped by a loosened screw on the pneumatic circuit. A problem that was as simple as it was decisive in compromising a race that, in light of what happened on the track and considering Aleix's pace and that of is closest rivals, could have ended with a good result for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini.
Scott, who is still trying to find the best setup for his RS-GP, finished in the points with fifteenth place.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I want to take the Aprilia onto the podium. I am riding like I never have before in my entire career and I feel like we can succeed. Today we missed a great chance, given the pace demonstrated in the warm up and my feeling. Unfortunately, a DNF for technical reasons does not help my morale. This weekend we worked well and I am certain that we could have had a say in the race. Now, with the position in the overall standings compromised, I will always be giving 101% in every race from here to Valencia."
SCOTT REDDING
"We decided to take a risk choosing the hard rear that did not work in the right temperature range. In the race I had problems with grip again. With nothing to lose we took a gamble but things didn't work. Fortunately, we will be testing in Mugello in a few days where we will try to work on rear grip which is the problem that is slowing me down at the moment."
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"This week we'll be on the track at Mugello to improve the setup for Scott who is still not entirely sorted from this point of view, unlike Aleix who has good performance which once again proved to be in vain. We are having a series of problems that prevent us from reaping the fruits of our labours. This season has begun uphill, but it is time to hang tough because we know that, in terms of pure performance, we are not far from the leaders and we can come back and do very well."
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"I am absolutely convinced that we have a quality project and that the bike is worth much more than what we have been able to achieve. We need to dial in a lot of small things that are the ones that make the difference. It is not easy to do that in the race and when you have days like this one, but this is precisely the moment to demonstrate the value of the team. We need to grit our teeth for those who believe in this project, for the riders, the team and all those who are working back home."
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TENTH PLACE FINISH JUST A SHOUT FROM EIGHTH
Nineteenth at the start, twelfth on the tenth lap, tenth under the chequered flag: that about sums up Aleix Espargaró's race at the Circuit of the Americas, protagonist of an extraordinary comeback, riding his Aprilia RS-GP into the battle for eighth place. It was a result that he missed by just 3 tenths of a second, when he was unable to demand any more of his tyres in the race finale, already put to a hard test.
The foundation for a good performance today was laid in the warmup session which ended with Aleix in fifth place - demonstration of the excellent analysis conducted after the complicated sessions on Friday and Saturday.
His teammate, Scott Redding, struggled to find the right feeling with the hard tyres chosen for the race, having to settle for a seventeenth place finish in the end. The tests scheduled for tomorrow on this track, where both the Aprilia riders will participate, will be useful to give Scott a chance to increase his familiarity with the RS-GP and better prepare for the arrival of the European races.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
“We knew that this track would be one of the toughest for the RS-GP, plus yesterday we had difficulty with the setup, so my race started as an uphill battle. In spite of this, I was very focused and aggressive at the start. Already in the early laps I had overtaken a lot of other riders, beginning to make up positions. Today my bike truly worked well. The tenth place finish is not an exceptional result, but it was not simple starting from that far back. The only pity was not being able to get past the two riders ahead of me, but in the final laps, the tyre really deteriorated and I had very little traction. It was a solid race that makes us look toward the first European race with great confidence. Our level is high and we can be a surprise on more than one occasion.”
SCOTT REDDING
“Our weekend has started off well, but then I was unable to progress as much as I would have liked to. I rode the race with the hardest tyre both on the front and on the back and the situation improved in terms of the front end, but I was lacking grip at the rear. To be honest, I expected more, but I can't be disappointed: Aleix did an excellent job today and that demonstrates that the bike has good potential, I just need to keep improving and learning.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“We are very happy because today we showed our true potential, among other things on a track that is traditionally tough for us, with Aleix riding a stupendous comeback race. After the complicated qualifiers yesterday, we were the only ones who went with the hardest compound tyre on the front and the decision paid off, letting Aleix push hard for the entire distance, thereby recovering several positions. We have an outstanding bike and an outstanding team. Today's performance confirms that. Scott is still at a stage where he needs to get to know the bike better in order to be able to take full advantage of it. Tomorrow we'll be back on the track for a day of testing and we'll work hard to dial it in to his comfort, trying various changes in terms of setup.”
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"Already after doing a good warmup session, we had the feeling that we could ride a great race and with Aleix we succeeded in doing just that. The tenth place finish after starting nineteenth and battling in the finale for eighth is definitely positive. Also taking into consideration the difficulties we have always encountered on this track, I must give everyone a round of applause. There has been clear progress. It was not an easy weekend, but it is a good starting point for us in anticipation of the races in Europe."
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ALEIX ESPARGARÓ SEEKS HIS FIRST POINTS IN TEXAS, SCOTT REDDING KEEN TO CONTINUE THE POSITIVE TREND
Before beginning the long European tour, MotoGP is making its last overseas stop to take on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. This is a track that created some difficulties for teams and riders because of rather bumpy asphalt, but which has now been partially resurfaced (between turns 1 and 9 and between turns 16 and 19), the effects of which will be clearer after the first practice sessions.
Scott Redding is approaching the American round after picking up his first championship points astride the Aprilia RS-GP in the last race in Argentina. The feeling with the Italian bike, which Scott is in his first year riding, is increasing consistently. This is partly due to the British rider's work method, analytical and always focused on improving in terms of race strategy rather than on instantaneous performance.
Aleix Espargaró is more than ready for redemption after being unable to earn points in the first two round of the season, despite clear demonstrations of his competitiveness, like his brilliant Saturday in Argentina. The Spanish rider's value and grit that shone through brightly on that occasion let him look at the upcoming race with renewed optimism.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"Qatar and Argentina were not two lucky races for me. On both occasions, I felt good and we had prepared well for the race, but we were unable to take points due to unexpected issues. During the break before Texas, I tried to rest up and recover energy together with my family - kind of a reset to rediscover the positive feeling for the upcoming race. It's not easy, but I know that I have always given my all, so we need to stay focused and continue working."
SCOTT REDDING
"The race in Argentina was an important one for me. It allowed me to recover the feeling that I had lost in Qatar after good pre-season training. My race position, just outside the top 10, is the result I was expecting to achieve at the beginning of the season. Riding race distance alongside other riders also gave me a chance to compare our performance with that of our rivals and see which areas we need to work on. I want to start from this foundation to keep growing and to grow the RS-GP, knowing that I am moving in the right direction."
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