Among those who have a say when it comes to Aprilia's fate in MotoGP are not only Noale's men Massimo Rivola and Romano Albesiano, but also Fausto Gresini. Because the setting up of the brand's adventure in the category is unique in that its logistics are entrusted to a private structure. And it is precisely the eponymous one of the former pilot named Fausto. The latter was affected, like the entire factory which is part of the Piaggio group, by the doping affair in which Andrea Iannone is entangled. Humanly, politically and technically, it could not be worse... But the Italian does not doubt the good faith of his compatriot in this thorny issue and makes a revelation about his possible replacement...
The 2020 season promises to be a turning point for the RS-GP project thatAprilia implemented in MotoGP. The bike will in fact be brand new with new solutions, so everyone must be on deck from the first tests of the year to Sepang, at the beginning of February. However, an essential piece will be missing in the system in the person ofAndrea Iannone, who could have benefited from his brand expertise Ducati et Suzuki to provide valuable information in the development of the new weapon.
But before that, there is the fate to be determined for both the pilot and the man. An aspect that Fausto Gresini brought to the fore in an interview given to GP One : " When I learned about Andrea's positive test result, I was surprised » comments the Italian. “ I had the chance to speak to him and I believe in his good faith, he did nothing wrong. At Sepang he immediately showed up for checks and this is not the behavior of someone who has something to hide. In this race, the drivers lose a lot of fluid, and that may have had an influence. The values exceed the limit but not by much. »
That being said, the procedure is launched and before reaching its end, it imposes a deadline that no one can really assess: “ in theory, they have until March to make a decision, but I hope they do it sooner. Weather is a problem for Aprilia because we have a big program planned and the new bike has to grind the track, we have made a big investment. » Without Joe the Maniac, what would be plan B?
« Bradley Smith will take his place, but he will have difficulty doing all the days of testing alone, the three “shakedown” days for the testers and the other three dedicated to the starters. Help is needed » suits a Gresini which wants to be realistic about certain advanced names… “ It would be really nice to see Max Biaggi on the Aprilia, but it would be a very demanding task for him. His speed and expertise are unquestionable, but it's one thing to ride the track for fun, as he does, another to face such an important test on a new MotoGP. »
« In my opinion the best option is Lorenzo Savadori " finished Gresini. “ He's a young driver, he wants to do well and get involved. He has experience in SBK and he knows all the guys on the team, so it would be easier to set it up for everyone. I don't see any other options. I heard the name Jorge Lorenzo being made the rounds and I said: if only! But I really don't think that will happen. » Like what a Lorenzo can hide another one...
