MotoGP Japan Motegi: Aprilia expects to suffer like in Thailand and that would be good news

Aprilia continues its procession in a MotoGP where the Noale brand wants to assert itself. With her RS-GP, she remains unknown in the game and even within it. The Italians had indeed announced a complicated Thailand Grand and it turned out to be quite positive until the abandonment of Aleix Espargaró, while Andrea Iannone brought home a point. For Japan this weekend, the forecast is the same. So this would not necessarily be bad news as long as reliability is there…

For the troops Aprilia, as for the rest of the MotoGP field, this Japanese Grand Prix will mark the start of an exhausting series of three meetings in three weeks. Noale's firm views the deadline as the final test for RS GP, before focusing entirely on the 2020 prototype.

On paper, the track Motegi promises to be complicated for Aprilia. The heavy braking and the moderately abrasive asphalt which place particular strain on the front tire should exacerbate the weaknesses of the RS-GP. But Aleix Espargaró claims good form, after an excellent result in Aragon and a surprising competitiveness demonstrated even on a track as difficult as that of Thailand. " I like racing in Japan, I like the atmosphere there but it won't be an easy weekend for us. I drive and believe in the best possible way in RS-GP. We are working in the right direction and this is a good sign not only for the end of the season but, above all, for 2020, which will be a crucial year » assures Pol's younger brother, a KTM official.

Andrea Iannone alternated relaxation and training to reach peak form in Motegi. It could be another difficult race for the Vasto rider, but the intention is to finish this MotoGP season. “ On paper, Motegi is not an easy track for us. We will have to be efficient in preparing every detail, trying to work on the limitations that appeared in Thailand. It is essential for us to understand the direction to follow” underlines Joe the Maniac. “We are looking forward to three races in a row on three very different tracks and we need to make the most of them.”