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Category: Superbikes
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THIS BLACK SUNDAY DOES NOT CANCEL OUT THE SEASON WHERE APRILIA MADE A GREAT LEAP FORWARD IN ALL THE STANDINGS ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULTS EVER IN THE PREMIER CLASS
The MotoGP season did not end as hoped (and probably deserved) for Aprilia. Both Espargaró and Viñales stopped due to technical problems, probably fuel draught for Aleix and at the front of the bike for Maverick. These are problems that had not occurred throughout the weekend where, to the contrary, both riders demonstrated an outstanding pace and started from good positions, but where they were kept from battling for the desired results in the championship standings.
In Valencia, Aprilia ends the season of their first world championship win, a total of nine podium finishes and two pole positions, with records set in terms of points and placements. Never before, in their brief history, had Aprilia risen so high in the premier class.
Aleix Espargaró
“Battling for third place was a dream for me, something historic, especially with the current level of the championship. I think it would have been possible but unfortunately, a technical problem forced me to withdraw. It’s a pity after the season we had. I gave it my all from the first to the last race and I have no regrets. That’s racing – things don’t always go the way you expect them to. Now we need to continue working because next season represents a new opportunity to do well.”
Maverick Viñales
“What happened is a real pity. We had the pace and rhythm to battle for the very top positions but I had a problem with the front of the bike and my race ended there. We’ve done a lot this season but we need to improve. I had problems in the early stages of the season finding the right settings and then again in the finale. We need to work hard and learn from this season.”
Massimo Rivola – Aprilia Racing CEO
“We are angry and disappointed. Evaluating our season, we should look at the glass as half full, but it’s hard for me to do that today. We had goals that were within our potential and deserved, such as third place for Aleix and second in the Constructors and Teams standings. Extraordinary results that would have been the just rewards for the hard work done by all of Aprilia Racing but evidently we are still not accustomed to battling consistently for the highest objectives. In order to do that, we need to learn to always be perfect, on the track and in Noale. Our championship season is still important and represents an exceptional base of results from which to resume. The last race does not change the certainty that we made a huge step forward and we’ll be back in 2023 to try again with four bikes on the track and renewed ambitions. Now I’d like to congratulate Ducati and Bagnaia for their season and say goodbye to Suzuki, in the hopes that we’ll see them again in the future."
Romano Albesiano - Aprilia Racing Technical Director
“The 2022 bike turned out to be a potentially victorious project. What happened in the last part of the season should be the starting point to improve on every aspect of our work, from the design of the new RS-GP all the way to managing it in the race. However, we are finishing the season with results that few would have thought possible for us at the season start. It was precisely the highly competitive level of the bike and our riders that brought to light the aspects where we need to improve in order to be consistently at the top. This is our goal for the season that will begin in two days.”
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IN THE DECISIVE QUALIFYING SESSION MAVERICK, WEAKENED WITH FEVER, GRITS HIS TEETH TO TAKE A NICE SPOT ON THE SECOND ROW
FOURTH ROW FOR ALEIX, STILL A CONTENDER FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP PODIUM
The Saturday in Valencia ahead of the final MotoGP championship race was decidedly positive for the Aprilia colours. After some struggles on Friday where both riders were outside the top ten, both Aleix and Maverick regained control of the situation. Aleix began, doing the sixth time in the morning FP3 session which sent him straight through to the qualifiers with the top riders.
Maverick, on the other hand, didn’t manage to go straight through but redeemed himself in the first qualifying round, beating out all his rivals and also going through to the session that decides who will start from the front rows.
Although far from being in his best physical shape due to a fever that tormented him throughout the day, Maverick was able to further improve in the final Q2 qualifying session, doing a fantastic time of 1’29.995 which earned him a spot on the second row of the starting grid (sixth-best time) for the race tomorrow.
Aleix, who had demonstrated even more confidence than his teammate in the morning session, struggled a bit more to do a good lap, finishing with the tenth time (1’30.124). His hunt for a position on the championship podium will start from the fourth row tomorrow as he is currently lying third in the overall standings.
In the race tomorrow, Aprilia Racing will also be chasing a prominent spot both in the Constructor and Team championship standings. In both categories, the Italian manufacturer is currently second – demonstration of their fantastic season and by far the best one yet in Aprilia’s brief history.
Aleix Espargaró
“I must say that we did a really good job between yesterday and today. In fact, I now feel rather good in terms of pace. I was unable to find a good lap in qualifying and that’s a pity because the spot on the starting grid doesn’t fully reflect our level. In any case, I’m optimistic for the race. We’ll do the best we possibly can to finish out this great season.”
Maverick Viñales
"Today was not an easy day for me. Since yesterday I’ve had a fever that has left me rather weak but I still battled and in the end we managed to take a good step forward and, most importantly, we had good qualifiers. It is important for us to continue improving and working. I’ll try to get some rest now and be in good form for tomorrow."
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#ValenciaGP Free Practice. Enea Bastianini and Team Gresini Racing MotoGP had a good start to the final event of the season, with the #23 fifth-quickest in today’s combined free practice times. The Italian rider, who is still in the battle for a top-three overall finish, is only 0.177seconds in arrears of fellow Ducati rider Marini, and he still has some fine tuning to do.
Fabio Di Giannantonio’s day was not a positive one, as the Italian tucked the front at turn two in the second FP session - but was fortunately unscathed after the tumble. The series rookie finished the day second-last with slightly more than a one and a half seconds of gap. He and his crew will need to roll up their sleeves and try to bounce back tomorrow, starting from the morning’s Free Practice 3.
5th - ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (1’30.394s)
“It was a good day. We struggled a little in FP1, but we were in a good place already in the afternoon. The FP2 time attack gave us a good feeling, even though I know I can improve a little in the third split and at the last corner. We’re OK in the rest of the track. Our pace is consistently quick despite some tiny little mistakes here and there. We still need a small extra step forward for the race, but we’re in line for a good weekend.”
23rd - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (1’31.762s)
“We surely didn’t get off to a good start. We tried to improve in FP2, and we did it, but the crash at turn two slowed us down and there will be a lot to catch up with tomorrow in order to have a good Saturday.”
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#ValenciaGP preview. There is a lot still in play for the final round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, with Enea Bastianini in contention for third overall. After Sepang’s excellent podium, the rider #23 is only one point away from Aleix Espargaró, who is ahead of him in the standings.
After clinching the 2022 Best Independent Rider title thanks to an impressive tally of wins and podiums – an achievement that was one of the many highlights of Gresini Racing’s incredible MotoGP return season – Bastianini will now try to secure also the world championship top three: he will only need to score one point more than the #41 of Aprilia Racing.
The Ricardo Tormo Circuit is a favourable one for ‘Bestia’, who also did well last year in his MotoGP debut (8th) even though he is yet to step on the Valencian podium – his best result is a fourth place in 2016, Moto3 class):
The season finale will represent an important round also for Fabio Di Giannantonio, who wants to wrap up his MotoGP rookie season with a smile after several ups and downs. The #49 was on the podium there last year in his final Moto2 race before the jump to MotoGP.
ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (4th in the championship standings with 211 points)
“This will be my last race with team Gresini and I will try to celebrate it the best way possible. It will surely be a complex race, with many competitive riders… We’re on a roll and we know our potential, so we’ll try to do well and finish in the world championship top-three.”
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (20th in the championship standings with 23 points)
“A challenging season is about to end, but we’re not giving up at all. We’ll try to have a good weekend before diving into testing with the new bike. Our head is already focused on 2023, but we also want to be back in the points on a track that I like and where I’ve always done well.”
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ALEIX AND APRILIA’S CHAMPIONSHIP DREAMS STAY ALIVE ALL THE WAY TO THE PENULTIMATE ROUND
ALL EYES ON VALENCIA NOW TO FINISH OUT AN EXTRAORDINARY SEASON RESPECTABLY
The tenth place finish taken by the skin of his teeth renders merit to Aleix’s determination and grit after a season which is already the best by far of Aprilia history. A title contender all the way to the penultimate round, still third in the overall rider standings, with a double second place in the constructors and team standings, these are extraordinary results for an Italian project made up of commitment, innovation, and humility which, just this year, tackled its first season as an official factory team.
The race today neither takes away or adds much to the analysis. These are important points to keep the race for third overall alive and to look optimistically towards the highly anticipated 2023 season.
Unfortunately, in the race Maverick once again confirmed the problems with grip he had found in his most recent outings, unable to make up positions after a less than perfect start. Eyes on Valencia for him as well, which will be the final race of his first full season with Aprilia and a chance to finish with a smile this championship where he has, in any case, performed brilliantly.
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
"Battling for the championship title was a dream come true and, in any case, I am proud of what we accomplished this year. However, it’s still a pity not to have finished the season the way we deserved. In the last few races, something didn’t work right and we need to understand why. I’m convinced that we’ll be able to confirm our good performance next year as well. We have demonstrated that we have the speed. Now it's time to hit reset, head home, and get ready for Valencia. We can still make a play for third place and, above all, finish out this season with a good race."
MAVERICK VIÑALES
"It’s hard to find an explanation. All we have to go on is results and they tell us that we have work to do. The situation needs to be analysed, understood, and used to improve. For Aprilia and me this was our first year together and we still have a lot to learn. Like in Australia, we were competitive in spurts but at the end of the day, we were unable to fully exploit our potential and convert it into a good race. Now we’ll take a week off to rest up because it has been a long and demanding season and then all eyes on Valencia and the future."
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