At Aprilia, we keep our heads on the handlebars to make the RS-GP a terror of the Grands Prix. The 2019 version seems to have some potential in this regard, but the competition is not waiting for it. Aleix Espargaró finished thirteenth on the second day at Sepang after a race simulation. As for Iannone, he still takes antibiotics and remembers his Ducati…
By the way, there is no cause and effect. Joe the Maniac is not high. Diminished by an infection, he still faced the Sepang furnace and evaluated his machine as follows: “ it reminds me of the Ducati. In the last two years, I could no longer brake as I wanted. I find this feeling with the Aprilia. I'm starting to understand it, I think the potential is there. But we need to improve many things to take the expected step forward ».
He gives direction: “ having more engine power would surely help us. More precisely, certain aspects of this engine need to be improved. We are strong at high revs but not at low revs. You have to find the right balance ».
A mechanical aspect shared by the teammate Aleix Espargaro : " on a track like Sepang, the power handicap is felt more than elsewhere. Our bike is, for example, better balanced than the KTM, but it makes the difference with its engine. We also have difficulty in the turns. We need to work on the electronics. We lack grip ».
The Spaniard did a race simulation. For twenty laps, the pace was fast, with a total time much higher than that done on the same track during the Grand Prix last October. His best time was 2'00.101. “ I did a 20 lap race simulation and I am very satisfied with both my physical condition and the behavior of the RS-GP. I managed to run the first half of the run in 2'00 and the second in 2'01. It's a good pace which confirms our competitiveness with worn tires » concludes Pol's brother on Tutomotoriweb.
MotoGP, Sepang J2 Test: times
| 1 | 12 | Maverick Vinales | Yamaha M1 | 1:58.897 | ||
| 2 | 42 | Alex Rins | Suzuki GSX-RR | 1:59.424 | 0.527 | 0.527 |
| 3 | 43 | Jack Miller | Ducati GP19 | 1:59.517 | 0.620 | 0.093 |
| 4 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati GP19 | 1:59.562 | 0.665 | 0.045 |
| 5 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda RC213V | 1:59.566 | 0.669 | 0.004 |
| 6 | 46 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha M1 | 1:59.625 | 0.728 | 0.059 |
| 7 | 53 | Tito Rabat | Ducati GP18 | 1:59.664 | 0.767 | 0.039 |
| 8 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Honda RC213V | 1:59.790 | 0.893 | 0.126 |
| 9 | 9 | Danilo Petrucci | Ducati GP19 | 1:59.845 | 0.948 | 0.055 |
| 10 | 30 | Takaaki Nakagami | Honda RC213V | 1:59.966 | 1.069 | 0.121 |
| 11 | 5 | Johann zarco | KTM RC16 | 1:59.973 | 1.076 | 0.007 |
| 12 | 63 | Francis Bagnaia | Ducati GP18 | 1:59.995 | 1.098 | 0.022 |
| 13 | 41 | Aleix Espargaró | Aprilia RS-GP | 2:00.101 | 1.204 | 0.106 |
| 14 | 20 | fabio quartararo | Yamaha M1 | 2:00.108 | 1.211 | 0.007 |
| 15 | 21 | Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha M1 | 2:00.151 | 1.254 | 0.043 |
| 16 | 6 | Stefan bradl | Honda RC213V | 2:00.230 | 1.333 | 0.079 |
| 17 | 44 | Pol Espargaro | KTM RC16 | 2:00.305 | 1.408 | 0.075 |
| 18 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Aprilia RS-GP | 2:00.510 | 1.613 | 0.205 |
| 19 | 66 | Mika Kallio | KTM RC16 | 2:00.523 | 1.626 | 0.013 |
| 20 | 88 | Miguel Oliveira | KTM RC16 | 2:00.672 | 1.775 | 0.149 |
| 21 | 36 | Joan mir | Suzuki GSX-RR | 2:00.876 | 1.979 | 0.204 |
| 22 | 17 | Karel Abraham | Ducati GP18 | 2:01.245 | 2.348 | 0.369 |
| 23 | T1 | Nakasuga/Nozane | Yamaha M1 | 2:01.406 | 2.509 | 0.161 |
| 24 | 50 | Sylvain Guintoli | Suzuki GSX-RR | 2:01.654 | 2.757 | 0.248 |
| 25 | 55 | Hafiz Syahrin | KTM RC16 | 2:01.859 | 2.962 | 0.205 |
| 26 | T2 | Nakasuga/Nozane | Yamaha M1 | 2:02.989 | 4.092 | 1.130 |
| 27 | 85 | Takuya Tsuda | Suzuki GSX-RR | 2:03.276 | 4.379 | 0.287 |
