Officially, Aprilia is the only manufacturer that can offer something to keep a rider looking for a future busy in MotoGP. Of course, everything will depend on the fate that sporting justice reserves for the one who has a contract with the Noale firm, in this case Andrea Iannone. The latter never ceases to regret the day he bit into a spiked steak in Malaysia... But Aprilia cannot fail to consider the situations of Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso who will be free at the end of the year . Recently, Jorge Lorenzo was added to the list. But Aleix Espargaró, who almost single-handedly develops the RS-GP, puts the kibosh on it…
Aleix Espargaró has ideas about everything and above all ideas. He likes to talk about all subjects, especially those that do not primarily concern him. But this time, the theme touches him to the highest point, since it involves talking about a driver likely to help him in his delicate task of developing the new RS-GP ofAprilia.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, he lays the foundations of the discussion: “ Aprilia management is trying to make the team stronger. The first thing I need is a fast and strong teammate. Because I can't compare anything to anyone, only to myself. If we look at KTM, for example, who have taken a good step forward this year, they have four strong bikes with four strong riders. So they can improve the level of the motorcycle more easily than we can ».
That being said, let's be honest. And first on the arrival of Savadori en lieu and in place of Bradley Smith : " Smith was swapped for Savadori, and it's hard to understand exactly what Aprilia is hoping for. But Lorenzo is a young rider from the Aprilia family, it's a good chance for him to prove himself. We will see if he can be a good rider in the future to test the bike. But there are still many unknowns ».
Doubts about the physical and mental
On the other hand, he has some certainties about another Lorenzo, Jorge by his first name, and who spontaneously applied for the position of test rider, after understanding that his chances of staying at Yamaha for this mission were slim… “ I think the level that Lorenzo showed in Portimão is not enough to help me develop the bike » blurted the 31-year-old pilot, who, however, tried not to be too disrespectful by adding: “ but you never know. If Jorge really wants to be fast and competitive, then he can be a very fast driver ».
« Jorge's level and abilities cannot be questioned, that much is clear. He's one of the best drivers of the last 20 years, a very, very fast driver ". Without a doubt. But he still returns to his first idea, unflattering for the Majorcan: “ I don't know what it is about his commitment, his will ... I'm not entirely sure he's physically and mentally ready. He is the only one who knows » said Aleix. “ I know Aprilia management is working very hard to help me and strengthen the team. But as we saw in Portimão, Jorge's level wasn't really the best. Let's see how much he wants. Like I said: he's a very, very fast driver, I want to emphasize that again. But I don't know his current situation, so it's difficult to assess ».
He reminds us that taking on the role of test pilot will not be a cakewalk: “ Aprilia is a good bike, I have often said that the RS-GP 20 has made big improvements. But it's not a winning bike. It's not a Yamaha. The commitment must therefore be even greater than on the Yamaha. You have to push and push hard in every turn and every lap, you have to risk more than the others ».
We understood thatAlex Espargaro don't believe in one Jorge Lorenzo involved at this point. On the other hand, he has a candidate capable of holding the charge. And its name will surprise no one: “ Dovizioso would of course be the best option, as a teammate or test pilot. He is very fast, very relaxed and he would be a good developer with all the experience from Ducati. That would be the priority, that's how I see it ". Jorge Certainly, this Dovizioso is a real nightmare for Jorge Lorenzo since he would kick him out of the house Yamaha as he finds it in his way towards Aprilia...
