During the Valencia test which opened the 2023 off-season, Aprilia executives were more seen in the box of their new satellite team than in their official lair. There was not only curiosity in this approach, but also an eagerness to hear what the new riders, coming from KTM, Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez, had to say about the RS-GP. A comparison which was also appropriate with the team which had just returned its Yamahas. And a lot of information was exchanged, the proof…
At Aprilia, we open a new chapter of the RS-GP project with the arrival of this satellite team hitherto stamped Yamaha and two new drivers from the family KTM. So many points of view and experiences synonymous with the discovery of new development paths. An approach that Paolo Bonora, director of the Aprilia Racing team sums it up as follows: “ more riders means more feedback, this is the key to motorcycle development “he assures. " And these are drivers with different driving styles, which allows us to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the motorcycle. In this way we can understand in less time what is the best way to gain a few tenths of a second “, declared the manager on the motogp.com website.
It thus confirms that the bet ofAprilia on a satellite team is due, in part, to the desire to strengthen the development of RS-GP: “ it is very important for development, because many people work hard at the factory and analyze the collected information. And the more data analyzed, the better for us ».
« The Aprilia looks like a 250cc«
Exactly, what was this first information transmitted? This is the RNF team manager Wilco Zeelenberg which enlightens us: we clearly had a testing mission and when riders move from one bike to another, there are definitely a lot of positive things, but there are also negative things. Riders remember things from three or four days ago on another bike and forget everything. They are therefore more than Aprilia drivers because they evaluate differently » he begins.
In the opinion of the head of the Malaysian structure, Massimo rivola, the boss of Aprilia Racing, was particularly interested in hearing the comments of the two drivers who arrived from another manufacturer and in understanding their analyses: “ I think having Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró on their bike and having new riders, especially from other manufacturers, is very important to understand: whether it's electronics, acceleration, power, in what other motorcycles are better or worse than the Aprilia… And Rivola was very interested in this ».
After returning the Yamaha , the same Zeelenberg also has his comparative opinion read on motorcyclesports : " from the side you think it's a very big bike, a bit low it seems, but the riders don't feel it. The height is the same. But especially seen from the top, the fuel tank is very small, so it looks like a 250cc ". He then praises the agility ofAprilia : " agility is also very easy. If you have a big motorcycle, it's usually very heavy. But with the Aprilia, the agility, turning the bike from left to right at low speed... On this track, agility is very good and looks like a 250cc » he repeats by way of conclusion.
