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Category: Superbikes
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AFTER THE NICE RESULT IN ARAGÓN, APRILIA IS ON THE HUNT FOR A POSITIVE STREAK
The longest stretch of away races for the year is about to begin. Japan, Australia and Malaysia will be hosting the three MotoGP races in a row, leading up to the grand finale in Valencia. The Twin Ring of Motegi, the Japanese circuit that has hosted MotoGP since 1999, is the first stop on the world tour.
Aprilia is headed to Motegi tempered by the nice sixth place finish Aleix Espargaró brought home from Aragón, less than seven seconds behind the winner. It was a prestigious placement but no surprise, given the constant improvement in performance by the RS-GP that was lacking only the culmination in a race to demonstrate its potential.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I love Japan. For me it is one of the best countries in the world. Motegi is definitely a demanding circuit for us with its violent accelerations. We did a great job in Aragón. We have a truly competitive bike and I will give 100% to achieve the maximum possible result. The atmosphere on the team is fantastic. I can't wait to spend almost a month with the guys."
SAM LOWES
"I am excited, not only for the Motegi race, but for the three weekends in a row. It will be important to start well in order to then keep our confidence up throughout the entire tour. I like Japan and I can't wait to depart. My goal is to finish in the points zone and especially to reduce the gap behind the top riders."
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"The Twin Ring is a decidedly demanding track, both on acceleration and therefore wheelies and, above all, on the braking system. We are coming from an excellent performance in the last race and in 2016 we interpreted the Japanese track well. From a technical point of view, we will be experimenting a new configuration of the fuel feed system with the goal of changing torque output."
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"The triple-header is a tough tour, starting with Japan. This is the home track for three of the manufacturers competing in MotoGP, a track with long straights and significant braking systems. Our primary goal must be to confirm the good results from Aragón, consolidating the potential that we demonstrated with our performance in the race. Doing well in the season finale also means setting up our work for 2018 with confidence and motivation. Three races in a row put the team and riders to the test, so going back home with plenty of spoils is fundamental."
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The rain soaked asphalt of Misano heavily influenced the GP of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera. The rain that fell heavily even for the first laps of the race and the wet conditions caused numerous crashes. The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders also paid the price, crashing while they were battling for a good placement.
Espargaró crashed in the 14th lap while occupying ninth place. After a good start from the third row, earned thanks to his good performance in qualifying on Saturday, Aleix had found a spot in the group of riders battling for a spot in the top ten, a result that seemed to be well within his potential.
This time, Sam Lowes also has something to complain about. Feeling quite at ease in the conditions today, he was the protagonist of a fantastic comeback ride from 24th to tenth place, riding behind his teammate. His race also ended early due to a loss of grip at the front on the wet asphalt.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
“The conditions today were truly difficult. This morning in warm up I did not feel good, but we made a few important changes to the RS-GP and in the early part of the race the feeling was decidedly better. Then I began to have problems with the front tyre before the crash. It's a shame because we have not been able to demonstrate our true potential for a few races now. I am disappointed, but I have not lost my spirit or the desire to continue fighting.”
SAM LOWES
“I can't be pleased about how the race ended, but on the track I was able to be competitive. I battled, overtook, maintained a good pace and the RS-GP worked brilliantly on the wet track. When the amount of water on the track began to go down, the front didn't give me the same confidence. I tried to slow down too, but I wasn't able to avoid the crash. Despite the result, the race is still incentive to give me confidence that I hope to take advantage of in Aragón where I won my last race in Moto2.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“First of all, I would like to say a few words about Sam, who was moving up in the order and had gotten into the top ten. A great result was definitely within his potential. It's too bad about his crash, but today the conditions were very treacherous and unfortunately they also led to Aleix's crash. We need to keep hanging in there, even if recently we haven't reaped much, we are sowing well. The potential is there and we are determined to demonstrate it soon with a good result.”
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
“The race was held in very difficult conditions and it was easy to fall victim to a crash - something that unfortunately happened to both our riders. We could have brought home a nice double top ten finish, because Sam was demonstrating good competitiveness today. In any case, I would like to thank the riders and the entire team for their great efforts. We will keep working as hard as possible to stay with the leaders more and more often.”
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30 YEARS OF SUCCESS FOR APRILIA: FROM MISANO 1987 TO 54 WORLD TITLES
The MotoGP weekend at Misano Adriatico marks thirty years since the first Aprilia win in World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, achieved in the 250 Class with Loris Reggiani on 30 August 1987, right here on the Italian circuit.
It was a win that launched a victorious sports history in all motorcycle categories. As of today, the Italian Racing Department's trophy case holds 54 world titles in the various disciplines, including 38 in World Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing with 294 GP wins.
That victory is also celebrated by FMI – Federazione Motociclistica Italiana who, on the occasion of the MotoGP round in Misano, awarded Aprilia in memory of that first world championship win. It is a tribute to a victorious technical and sports history that has trained extraordinary generations of riders and technicians.
Giovanni Copioli, Chairman of FMI – Federazione Motociclistica Italiana
“As FMI, we are proud to celebrate this anniversary, Aprilia's first world championship triumph, earned by no less than an Italian rider, Loris Reggiani, and right here in Misano. The purpose of this recognition is to pay due homage to an Italian Manufacturer which, beginning from that win, has brought home countless victories, earning an impressive number of titles and holding Italian motorcycling high. I am certain that Aprilia will soon continue this winning tradition, given their efforts and growth in the premier class.”
Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Manager
“Looking back on Aprilia's first win today traces back over an extraordinary, all Italian heritage of victories. That fantastic performance by Loris Reggiani was the first step in a chain of 294 wins and 38 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Titles which are joined by 7 World Superbike Championship Titles and our offroad successes. Today, Aprilia Racing represents the most technologically advanced spearhead of the Piaggio Group with the goal, on the track, of bringing home those wins in the premier category that are missing from our collection of trophies, while continuing to mould technicians and extraordinary skills, persevering on that journey that we began thirty years ago.”
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Bruce Anstey shattered a number of records on his way to repeating last year’s victory in this afternoon’s Dunlop Lightweight Classic TT Race, the second race in the 2017 Isle of Man Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. 
The flying Kiwi started by breaking the outright 250cc lap record on his opening lap, becoming the first rider to do a 250cc lap under 19 minutes which he followed up by becoming the first 250cc rider to post a 120mph lap on his second lap and he also broke his own race record by over a minute.
In the winners enclosure Anstey revealed that the team had been specifically targeting the 120mph lap;
“Clive [Padgett] ’s done brilliantly getting the bike up to spec over the winter. We have been targeting the 120mph lap so it’s great to get it in the bag. I used Ian as a bit of a target and went flat out for the first two laps.”
In a day when the clock was turned back on the Isle of Man it was clearly a day for the veterans with the top three riders – Anstey, Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher - all having made their Mountain Course debuts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Lougher on the Laylaw Racing Yamaha was first away and the Welshman lead on the road at Glen Helen at the opening checkpoint but Anstey had already taken 9 seconds out of him on the clock with Dan Sayle riding the Steelcote Solutions Yamaha the Kiwi’s nearest challenger, four seconds behind the race leader at Glen Helen.
Anstey moved in front on the road at Ballaugh on the opening lap and extended his race lead over the Mountain section before posting an opening lap of 119.888mph/ 18:52.960, the fastest ever lap by a 250 machine, and the first under the 19 minute barrier – all the more remarkable as it was set from a standing start.
Behind the Kiwi Dan Sayle was trying to give the Padgetts Motorcycles rider some competition but the Manx rider was already 25 seconds down with his opening lap of 117.225 with Michael Rutter on the Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati, a tribute to his father Tony, completing the top three in 116.903. Lougher (116.657) was maintaining a podium challenge just over two seconds behind Rutter with Ivan Lintin (114.950) completing the top five.
That remained the order on lap 2 with Anstey breaking his own lap one record with a lap of 120.475/ 18:47.438, the first 120mph 250cc lap in the history of the Mountain Course with the New Zealander slowing down for his pit stop.
Anstey’s record breaking opening two laps gave him a lead of over fifty seconds from Dan Sayle (117.740) with Michael Rutter maintaining his podium challenge only five seconds behind Sayle. Lougher and Ivan Lintin held fourth and fifth places respectively going into the third lap.
Dan Sayle was reported as a retirement at Garey Ford near Kerrowmoar which saw Michael Rutter move into second place at Ramsey with Lougher slotting into the final podium position but Anstey’s lead at the end of lap three after a lap of 113.233mph was a decisive seventy seconds ahead of Rutter with Lougher (111.580) a further thirteen seconds back in third place.
That remained the top three at the finish with Anstey taking the race in a new record time of / 117.853/ 1:16:50.072. Rutter’s final lap of 116.662 saw him finish in the runner-up up slot in 115.723/ 1:18.14.929 with fellow veteran Ian Lougher third in 115.665 1:18.17.289. Stuart Hall riding for Martyn Nelson Yamaha (109.416/ 1:22:45.565) was the leading privateer in eighth place.
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THE SPANIARD RIDES HIS APRILIA TO FOURTH PLACE
It was a decidedly positive start for Aprilia at Silverstone, the twelfth round of the 2017 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing Championship. Aleix Espargaró, with a brilliant lap in the finale of the afternoon FP2 session, rode his RS-GP to fourth place in the day's standings. In both the sessions held today, the Spaniard demonstrated a good feeling on the English track, well supported by an Aprilia that was on point straight away.
Aleix is suffering from a pinched ligament between his ribs that makes breathing difficult after a few laps, so he focused on brief outings. Constantly monitored by the Mobile Clinic, the situation does not seem worrisome, but careful dosing of efforts is advised. The rider will better assess his physical conditions in the FP3 session tomorrow.
Sam Lowes is also satisfied with his day, using the first two sessions to experiment with new setup solutions on his RS-GP with the primary goal of improving stability on rather bumpy asphalt. Along with his team, the English rookie identified the right direction in which to work without using the softest tyre in his final time attack.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"This is one of the tracks where I felt great straight away. The RS-GP really responds well here at Silverstone. It's a pity about the problem with my ribs that I suffered training with a kart. In the fast direction changes I suffer a lot and struggle to breathe well. I am working a lot with the Clinic and I hope to be in good conditions for the race."
SAM LOWES
"In FP2 we tried various things to find the right direction to go in terms of setup, especially to improve the stability of the RS-GP. I lapped with the hardest tyre and it seems to work well for us. Many of the riders improved a lot using the soft at the end of the session, so that leads me to believe that we could have been faster in terms of lap times. This morning I didn't have a good feeling, but in the afternoon we improved. I had fun and I think that we'll be able to continue improving tomorrow too."
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