After exceptional results in the past in 125 and 250, Aprilia had a little more difficulty establishing itself in the large category. In 2016, the firm finished fifth and last in the Manufacturers' World Championship with 101 points, less than half of those scored by fourth place Suzuki (208). To climb to the top of the rankings, the Piaggio Group subsidiary can now count on its brand new RS-GP and Aleix Espargaro.
Aleix finished eleventh in the 2015 season on a Suzuki with 105 points, just ahead of his teammate Maverick Vinales who had 97. He finished eleventh again last year, with 93 points and a best result of fourth place in Japan, then that Vinales ranked fourth with 202 points, and four podiums including a victory in the United Kingdom.
Now with Aprilia, Aleix had a very good Grand Prix in Qatar, finishing in sixth position, less than a second at the finish line from the two Hondas of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa. The progress was breathtaking and both the Spanish driver and the Italian manufacturer now have only one goal: to do it again in Argentina.
According to Alex Espargaro, who are " After the good sensations in Qatar, I can't wait to race in Argentina. It's a track that I really like and where I'm always comfortable with my driving style. I hope I can get an optimum setting for the race conditions, but at the same time I would also like to fight for a good position in qualifying."
According to Roberto Albesiano, Aprilia Competition Director, “ At the first race we received important confirmation regarding our pre-season development efforts. The RS-GP proved to be a well-balanced motorcycle. It will be interesting to put it to the test on a circuit very different from that of Qatar. The characteristics of the Termas track seem favorable to the characteristics of our bike and to Aleix's riding style.
“The first day of testing will be a chance to understand the track conditions. We will continue to work towards the race, but paying particular attention to qualifying. We will try to improve, using the new tire as best as possible to aim for a good position on the starting grid. »
To Fausto Gresini, the team manager, “We are heading to Argentina with serious ambitions. The trend is positive for us, both technically and in terms of morale after the Qatar results. Aprilia did a great job. We have a technical package that has demonstrated obvious progression.
“We keep our feet on the ground, but we are also aware of our potential. We now want to confirm the progress we saw in the first race on a different track. On paper, the Termas circuit could suit our project better than Qatar, but as always, we will only be able to verify once we are on the track. »
