The third round of tests between Aprilia and Dovizioso is launched this Wednesday and it is Misano which succeeds Jerez then Mugello in this joint evaluation. The challenge ? A place for 2022. The manufacturer is ready to welcome the three-time world vice-champion with Ducati who is enjoying a sabbatical year. But he won't wait forever. Sports director Massimo Rivola takes stock of the situation with a mention to move Dovi definitively into his camp…
Andrea Dovizioso continues the preliminaries with the RS-GP and this time it's up to Misano that the meeting takes place. Two days of testing with Honda, KTM, Suzuki and Ducati test riders will perhaps allow him to decide for an adventure in 2022 which would be a return to MotoGP. The CEO Massimo rivola only dreams of that. And pushes the wheel, relying on the good performance of the last German Grand Prix…Who saw for the first time since 2000 a Aprilia on the front row of the starting grid of a race in the premier category of Grand Prix.
Rivola says thus: “ This result is a great satisfaction for us. The next Aprilia will be better than this one and I can't wait to see it. We know what the limits of the current bike are and on the next one we will try to exceed them ". He adds : " we have been working hard for two years and we are doing it with enthusiasm and for this reason the important results give morale to the whole group. It's a shame not to have a second aero package this year ».
Rivola: “Dovizioso is a driver and a smart guy”
Rivola then specifies, speaking of Dovizioso : " Misano is an important test, hoping it will be dry. We've been courting Dovi since last year and he backed away at first. The fact that he then changed his mind when seeing the performance of the bike and Aleix is positive. Dovi is a driver and a smart guy and if he makes a decision we could sit down at a table and agree. I would like him to be part of our team in some way ».
But in the meantime, we must not give up the prey for the shadows and also point out that its current pilots are doing their job very well: “ Aleix is in spectacular shape, he has been very competitive since the start of the year » declares the CEO ofAprilia Racing on motosprint « We need to slow it down a little every now and then » he said with a smile. “ Because he is a driver who gives everything and doesn't keep any margin in his pocket ».
« Aleix knows this bike and over the years we have made it more and more for him ». Rivola don't forget either Lorenzo Savadori : " It's true that Lorenzo is having a bit of trouble but it's also true that he's already putting a few drivers behind him. And he does it being the most beginner of all because he comes from a completely different world. However, he does a good job. The truth is that in one second there are twenty runners and if you take one second you are last ". We will specify that if Dovizioso refused the opportunity, Savadori would still have every chance of preserving his position, even against a youngster coming from Moto2.
