Aprilia's proudly Italian challenge in the MotoGP World Championship begins on a firmer footing than ever. In fact, the work carried out by the Racing department of Noale during the 2017 season resulted in the constant growth of the young RS-GP project which, once again characterized by the Italian livery designed by Aldo Drudi, was reorganized and perfected for the 2018 season.
Aleix Espargaro:
“Last year we had some very good races and only a few mistakes compromised our final position in the standings. I have great confidence for 2018. The team has worked well and the new RS-GP is growing in the right direction. All our rivals have improved a lot. MotoGP is a high level championship, but I am sure we will be close to the top. I am a positive person. I have prepared well for this new season and I believe in the direction we are going to take. »
Scott Redding:
“This is my first year as a factory rider and I have to say that I have had very positive feelings so far. Having a team behind me that supports me and works with me to improve the bike gives me great motivation. We managed to constantly improve with each release, also experimenting with solutions that were a gamble, but always with specific objectives. It's difficult for me to make predictions at the moment. I am still adapting to the RS-GP and at the same time we have started the development of the 2018 model. In any case, I am positive. Thanks to the last test in Qatar, we took another step forward, closing the gap behind the leaders, so I am confident going into the first race. »
Roberto Colaninno, CEO of the Piaggio Group:
“What Aprilia Racing has tackled is one of the most exciting challenges of all those that a large group like ours faces every day in markets around the world. Because it is a challenge that involves the highest values of technology. It is a special honor to see first-hand how this cutting-edge technology was born in a racing department made up of young people who are our valuable wealth of knowledge, led by highly experienced engineers. It is an Italian asset of excellent skills that makes Aprilia Racing one of the most advanced research and experimentation platforms that the Piaggio group benefits from. Our best wishes go to Albesiano and his team today. They have the task of translating this work into results. It will be a difficult season, with very strong rivals, but Aprilia, as we saw at the end of last season, has everything to win. »
Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Competition Director:
“The 2018 RS-GP is a deep optimization and evolution of the concepts we had on the track last year, the frame is radically new, as are the airbox, the cooling system and the aerodynamics. This reaction is never a given when you introduce such big changes, but it makes us optimistic for this new MotoGP season. The season has been very demanding, the level has been even higher both for the bikes and for the riders on the grid, for our part, we have everything to be contenders. »
Fausto Gresini, team manager:
“It will be an important season for us. Aleix, in his second year with Aprilia, will be able to take advantage of the experience gained last season, where he learned to work with a new team and a new bike. He quickly adapted and allowed us to bring home important results, further motivating the team with his courage. Scott, for the first time, has the support of a factory team. He is still very young, but he has a lot of experience in MotoGP. We have already had the opportunity to sample his professional attitude and technical prowess in testing where he impeccably progressed the development of the 2018 RS-GP ».
With 104 world championships in its collection (54 Aprilia, 15 Moto Guzzi, 21 Derbi, 14 Gilera) the Piaggio group is the most victorious motorcycle group of all time, and Aprilia, born in racing, is the true sporting banner of the Piaggio Group.
With 294 Grand Prix races won in the GP Moto Racing World Championship, Aprilia holds the record for the most victories of any European manufacturer in the history of high-level motorcycle racing. These victories are accompanied by 54 world titles: 38 in the Motorcycle World Championship (20 in the 125 category and 18 in the 250 category), 7 in Superbike (double rider / manufacturer title in 2010, 2012 and 2014, manufacturer in 2013) and 9 in Off Road disciplines (7 in Supermoto and 2 in Trial). The Aprilia Trophy also includes the 1000 FIM Superstock 2005 Cup, won with the RSV4 RF ridden by Lorenzo Savadori, who currently competes with Aprilia in World Superbike alongside Eugene Laverty.
