Aprilia Racing :Everything you want to know about ADV News, Photos & Exclusive stories.

<p>Motorcycle enthusiasts around the world can rejoice because <a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/motogp-qatar-gp-heres-when-where-and-how-to-watch-2024s-inaugural-race-in-india-116408/">MotoGP is coming back </a>this week. The first race of the 2024 season will be held in Qatar. Winter testing is in the bag and the teams have had a chance to play with their newest toys. Aprilia is one manufacturer that seems to have a strong package once again. While they could not be as competitive in 2023 as they were during the year before, things could be different this time around. We engaged Romano Albesiano, Technical Director, Aprilia Racing in a conversation to find out how well prepared the team is for the new season and how the RS-GP has evolved yet again. We also asked the same questions from Massimo Rivola, CEO, Aprilia Racing and you can read about <a href="https://www.autox.com/interviews/massimo-rivola-interview-we-proved-that-aprilia-can-beat-ducati-in-motogp-116411/">his opinions here</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>New Year, New Challenges</h2>

<p>When asked about the overall mood in the Aprilia garage after the multiple rounds of testing, Albesiano told us, “The mood is very positive, super positive, especially after the Doha Test. We have been very fast and very consistent on pace.”</p>

<p><img alt="MotoGP Aprilia Racing Team" height="720" src="/uploads/2024/03/MotoGP-Aprilia-Racing-Team.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Throughout the 2022 season of MotoGP, Aleix Espargaro was in the fight to win the Riders’ Championship. Naturally, going into the 2023 season, hopes were high for a repeat of Aprilia’s success but that sadly did not materialise. Commenting on this, Albesiano said, “Probably in 2023, he (Espargaro) had too many expectations, he started with too much confidence. He didn’t immediately get the performance he wanted. So, it took him five or six races to get to the level and then he was immediately very fast. I think if we can start this season in the right way, the level is there for Aleix to compete.” Talking about the other factory rider, Maverick Vinales, Albesiano said, “With him, in 2023, we had some problems in the starting phase but have fixed 90% of those issues now. We also understood the setting of his motorcycle, so we expect that he can be very consistent because of these improvements”.</p>

<h2>Search for Speed</h2>

<p>Albesiano hit the nail on the head by saying, “Aerodynamics is the topic of the moment.” In fact, we saw Aprilia motorcycles with some curious Formula 1-inspired aero rakes on their machines. He further explained, “ It’s (aerodynamics) very good for motorcycling and there is a lot to talk about it. We are probably the first team to do some real innovation in this field, and we keep doing it. Year by year, the motorcycle is transforming into something different. The aero forces on motorcycles are increasing every year and the way they need to be ridden is changing continuously. So, it’s very difficult for the riders to get used to and exploit the potential of the motorcycle. This is very interesting and the 2024 Aprilia is quite different from the aero point of view. Some of our riders are exploiting this potential more than others, but it is an ongoing process. We’ve seen in the lap times during the winter test and couldn’t believe them. So it’s clearly a demonstration of the increasing potential of the motorcycle and we are in a good position to take advantage of it”.</p>

<p><img alt="MotoGP Aprilia 2 " height="720" src="/uploads/2024/02/MotoGP-Aprilia-2-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<h2>Who is Aprilia Competing Against?</h2>

<p>With Ducati running ahead of the field with a battalion of eight bikes, Aprilia and KTM seem a more equal match. Both teams have four bikes on the grid and a set of capable riders. Last year, KTM managed to outscore Aprilia by 47 points and secured second place in the Constructors’ battle. When we Albesiano if beating KTM would be a realistic goal this year, he told us, “For sure it’s realistic, it’s more than realistic. Don’t forget we won two races last year and they didn’t win races. If you look at the championship points, it is one thing but if you look at the top performance maybe there is another ranking. But I think it is more than realistic. We need to be more consistent probably.”</p>

<p>On the prospect of stealing race wins in 2024 Albesiano said, “It’s always difficult to win races, it’s always been difficult, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be more difficult than last year”.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>The Heat of Battle</h2>

<p>While Rivola is no stranger to the Buddh International Circuit, having been here for the F1 races, it was Albesiano’s first outing in the country. Albesiano confirmed that the hotter conditions were not ideal for the RS-GP, “The track is not easy for us, at least with the 2023 bike because there are a couple of restarts from very low speeds which were critical for us last year. We made some changes to the bike and I think when we get there, we will be very competitive”.</p>

<h2>Learning Together</h2>

<p>2023 was the first season when Aprilia had a satellite team. They partnered with RNF and had a total of four machines. While the satellite team had the bikes from the previous season, this time around, they are going to have the latest ones. Both Albesiano and Massimo Rivola, CEO, Aprilia Racing admitted that having a satellite team also meant that they had a lot of organisational challenges but the results yielded were equally important. Albesiano said, “But we learned a lot in terms of taking advantage of this condition. We’ll have the same spec machines from mid-season, luckily earlier. We start with three 2024 spec machines from the beginning. I think we will have a real advantage this year.”&nbsp;</p>


Romano Albesiano Interview: Aero Makes MotoGP Faster, but also Harder for Riders to Adapt 

Aprilia Racing is confident that their RS-GP 24 is going to be competitive if they are able to maintain consistency throughout the 2024 season of MotoGP.

<p>MotoGP is set to begin <a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/motogp-qatar-gp-heres-when-where-and-how-to-watch-2024s-inaugural-race-in-india-116408/">a new season this week</a> at the Lusail Internation Circuit in Qatar. 22 riders will take on 21 different tracks riding on new motorcycles. All eyes will be on Ducati and their defending World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia. Aprilia Racing is a team that has had a lot of promise and potential to fight the Ducati echelon, however, their endeavours during the 2023 season were not the most remarkable. We spoke to Massimo Rivola, CEO, Aprilia Racing to find out how the Italian outfit plans to tackle the new season. We also spoke to Romano Albesiano, Technical Director, Aprilia Racing and asked him the same questions. You can read his perspective on the matter <a href="https://www.autox.com/interviews/massimo-rivola-interview-we-proved-that-aprilia-can-beat-ducati-in-motogp-116411/">here</a>.</p>

<h2>Getting off on the right foot</h2>

<p><img alt="MotoGP Aprilia Aleix Espargaro 1 " height="720" src="/uploads/2023/09/MotoGP-Aprilia-Aleix-Espargaro-1-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Rivola shed light on how well the riders are adapting to their new machines, “I can see different levels of performance from the riders at the moment, with Aleix in a superb shape. He immediately got the feeling of the 24 bike and concentrated on setups to adapt his style. I'm quite convinced that Maverick will be on the top quite soon. There were some difficulties for Miguel on the 24 bike but I think that is part of the fact that he is jumping from the 22 to the 24 (motorcycle). It's a bit more difficult, so I think he needs some more mileage than the others. Raúl, as we know, didn't test in Sepang due to a crash after two laps and was quite surprising in Qatar with the 23 bike. He was immediately very fast despite his physical condition not being at 100%.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about the relative lack of competitiveness during the 2023 season as compared to the one before, he said, “I would say the 2023 bike was much better than the 22, but our competitors stepped up too and having eight bikes, in particular for Ducati, obviously was a huge help. In 2022, we got a lot of podiums because we managed to wait for the right moment. In 2023, maybe our expectation to fight for the podiums pushed the riders to a level where they lose a bit of consistency, in particular, Aleix. I have to say that during the season we saw Maverick getting better and better and he demonstrated amazing performances on tracks where Aprilia is not strong, like for example Silverstone, Argentina and Barcelona. He scored the pole position in Valencia and that is not one of our strong tracks on paper. In the end, Maverick finished the season with a very strong feeling and performance. Ideally, we would love to start the 2024 season with that kind of feeling. We want to ensure that our efforts give him a bike where he can fight for the podiums.”</p>

<h2>The Development Race</h2>

<p>While rider skill is important, a capable machine is equally vital in getting race wins. As such, all the manufacturers are hard at work, improving their motorcycles. With engine specifications locked in till 2027, teams are experimenting with aerodynamics. “The innovations we brought were a lot and most of the others follow us. So this year we went even deeper into that kind of innovation, like the ground effect and the fork wings. Also, instead of finding downforce on the rear of the bike through wings, we found a different way, in a sort of a fork style with a diffuser as you can see on the bike. In the end, we can find a lot of downforce and a lot of efficiency and we can get a better bike on paper. But if the riders cannot find the feeling with that bike then it is a waste of time. The big job now is to combine the improvement from the aero side with the feeling of the bike. We saw Aleix immediately feeling right with the motorcycle while Maverick was struggling a bit more but it's just a matter of time and adapting to the rider style.”, Rivola told us.</p>

<p><img alt="MotoGP Aprilia RS GP 24" height="720" src="/uploads/2024/03/MotoGP-Aprilia-RS-GP-24.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<h2>Marking the target</h2>

<p>It is clear from the pre-season testing results that Ducati is once again leading the field. On being asked whether KTM is a more realistic target for Aprilia, Rivola answered, “I know KTM is pushing a lot, working with Red Bull on the aero side. So we have a big challenge in front of us. But we love challenges and as Italians, we want to use our skills to invent. Innovation is part of the DNA of Aprilia so I'm sure that something will come out of Noale but for sure KTM would be a very strong competitor. They want to win as we do, they have four bikes as we have and they have four good riders as we do. Actually, it's a fair competition fighting with them and I know they're ready, but we are ready too”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking more about the possibility of winning races in 2024, he said, “We already proved in 2023 that we can beat them (Ducati), like we did in Silverstone and in Barcelona. We proved that we can score the pole position so we can be the fastest actually.”&nbsp;</p>

<h2><br />
The Road to India</h2>

<p>2023 marked MotoGP’s first outing on Indian soil but it was not a great experience for the Aprilia team. “The track was a bit difficult for us due to the very high temperature. Surely we need to be more prepared for this year, but I think all the data we got from the experience of the 23 will make us so much stronger for next year's races.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rivola agreed that having the Indian GP at a different time with colder weather would be beneficial for Aprilia, “For sure if you change the date that could be a help for us in particular because we were the ones that suffered the most, but I think it's our problem and we have to solve the problem and not ask Dorna to change the date. I think it's in our hands to make this step first and then if they will change it will be better. I love to first look to the mirror and see what we can do better to solve our problems”.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Helping hands</h2>

<p><img alt="MotoGP Trackhouse Racing 6 " height="720" src="/uploads/2024/01/MotoGP-trackhouse-racing-6-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>2024 marks the second year when Aprilia will have a satellite team on the grid. While they had partnered with RNF for 2023, in 2024, the operations have been taken over by Trackhouse Racing. But having an additional team also means additional work as Rivola puts it, “The first year with four bikes on track with the satellite team, at the beginning, for sure was quite demanding to organise, but it was a good experience. The new team, Trackhouse, seems really ambitious and this is what we want. In the end, having four bikes and four riders on the track is important for the performance. He further said, “I think this year will be important for the RSGP-24 bikes because Raúl will also get it sometime mid-season and that will help us in improving the performance even more and even faster. I believe we should get the benefit of all this data to improve the bike again next year. Obviously, we still have 4 bikes, so our data will be half of our main competitor.”<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Massimo Rivola Interview: We Proved that Aprilia can Beat Ducati in MotoGP

CEO of Aprilia Racing, Massimo Rivola sheds light on the reasons why the team was less competitive in 2023 and how they are improving things for the coming season of MotoGP.

<p>Ahead of the second preseason test in Qatar, Aprilia Racing has offered a glimpse of its 2024 livery, signalling its ambitions to dominate this season’s MotoGP championship. While the RS-GPs of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales have undergone significant modifications, the bike's livery remains largely unchanged, featuring a predominantly black paint scheme accented by red and purple highlights.</p>

<p>According to Romano Albesiano, the technical director, substantial improvements have been implemented in the 2024 racing machine while maintaining a strong connection to last year’s competitive spirit. Among the notable modifications, the aero component stands out significantly. Albesiano also mentioned that the frame, chassis, swing arm, engine components, and electronics are among the new elements integrated into Aprilia’s 2024 racing machine.</p>

<p><img alt="Aprilia Racing Livery 2024" height="720" src="/uploads/2024/02/Aprilia-Racing-Livery-2024.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Aprilia has long been recognized for its innovative approach to producing aerodynamic components for MotoGP motorcycles. The unveiling of the updated Aprilia motorcycle during the MotoGP 2024 livery reveal in Lusail, Qatar, underscores the creativity of the Noale-based team.</p>

<p>In addition to the wings, the motorcycle's tail features a diffuser aimed at generating additional downforce. This increased downward pressure is expected to enhance traction on both straightaways and bends, enabling the motorcycle to navigate corners and accelerate swiftly.</p>

<p>To enhance the RS-GP's competitiveness in MotoGP, Aprilia has prioritized aerodynamic development, dedicating resources to address issues such as extreme heat, which can pose challenges for riders. The redesigned fairing incorporates graduated perforations on the sides alongside larger wings. These modifications not only improve aerodynamics but also aid in dispersing engine heat, thereby mitigating the risk of riders being affected by heat exposure.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/2024-motogp-qatar-test-top-things-to-look-out-for-during-the-final-pre-season-testing-116215/">The teams are coming together in Qatar for additional testing as the MotoGP season draws near. </a>The first round will take place in Qatar from 8 to 10 March. Teams and riders will refine their specs and settings for the next races throughout the test.</p>

<h2>Aprilia 2024 Livery: What the Team Has to Say?</h2>

<p>While showcasing the official version of Aprilia RS-GP24, Aleix Espargaro said, ‘The growth we have demonstrated in recent seasons has been incredible. I am proud to be part of this project, which I have always considered to be my second family. In 2024, we’ll make another step forward.’</p>

<p>His teammate, Maverick Vinales added, ‘Our 2023 season ended on an upward trend, and we want to continue that now. The feeling with the team is outstanding. During the winter break, I trained like mad, and I have faith in Aprilia Racing’s work. If we continue to set the goal of squeezing the most out of our technical package every weekend, the results will follow naturally.’</p>

<p>Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO, said, ‘Over the past few years, <a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/motogp-trackhouse-racing-solidifies-multi-year-extension-with-aprilia-targets-two-factory-bikes-115580/">Aprilia Racing</a> has embarked on a process of continuous growth. First, we became an official team, and then, with our satellite team, we had four bikes on the track. In 2024 we’re raising the bar even higher by starting from the get-go with three RS-GPs in the same official specification.’</p>

<p>He further added, ‘It’s quite a challenge for the racing division, but it’s also a signal of the evolution of this project on all fronts. We want to be a major player in MotoGP and we’ve got everything lined up to make that happen.’</p>

<p>Romano Albesiano, Technical Director, said, ‘Our approach to the 2024 season couldn’t ignore the excellent base we’ve created, particularly over the last two championships. The RS-GP is a “mature” design that is in line with the Aprilia philosophy. We’ve tried to evolve every aspect.’</p>

<p>He further added, ‘The aerodynamics are perhaps where the most obvious changes have been made. We’ve introduced some concepts that are most definitely innovative to improve the aerodynamic load without affecting efficiency.’</p>


MotoGP: Aprilia Unveils 2024 RS-GP Ahead of Season Challenge by Maverick Vinales, Aleix Espargaro

Aprilia Racing has unveiled its MotoGP 2024 livery. The livery is almost unchanged from the previous year except for adding more purple to the RS-GP's fairing.

<p>In the buildup to MotoGP’s India debut later this year in September, we got to speak with Aprilia Racing Team’s CEO, Massimo Rivolo, to pick his brains on everything from aerodynamics, the current challenges facing the future of MotoGP, the prospects of MotoGP’s arrival in India, the key difference between Formula One and MotoGP, and more motorsports related stuff.</p>


Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola discusses MotoGP Aero, F1, Marc Marquez & more | Interview | autoX

In the buildup to MotoGP’s India debut later this year in September, we got to speak with Aprilia Racing Team’s CEO, Massimo Rivolo, to pick his brains on everything from aerodynamics, the current challenges facing the future of MotoGP, the prospects of MotoGP’s arrival in India

Aprilia Racing

Romano Albesiano Interview: Aero Makes MotoGP Faster, but also Harder for Riders to Adapt

Massimo Rivola Interview: We Proved that Aprilia can Beat Ducati in MotoGP

MotoGP: Aprilia Unveils 2024 RS-GP Ahead of Season Challenge by Maverick Vinales, Aleix Espargaro

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola discusses MotoGP Aero, F1, Marc Marquez & more | Interview | autoX

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