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.”

THE NEW RS-GP AERODYNAMIC SOLUTION IS ON THE TRACK WITH GOOD FEEDBACK

Aleix Espargaró and Sam Lowes tackled the first day of free practice at Misano as the natural continuation of the tests held here two weeks ago. In continuity with those sessions, the Aprilia team continued working especially on tyre choice, partially because of the asphalt conditions which are rather different than those they had found during the tests.

The comparison between the various solutions continued until the final laps, giving the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini technicians plenty of feedback which will be translated into the final choices for the settings tomorrow in the decisive qualifying session.

In both FP1 and FP2, Aleix Espargaró (who finished in eleventh place with a time of 1'33.832, just 6 tenths behind the leader) tested a new aerodynamic fairing on his RS-GP. The feedback was very positive, so much that the new aerodynamic solution will be used again tomorrow.

Slowed in part by a couple of harmless crashes, Sam Lowes finished the Friday sessions in 22nd place with a time of 1'34.903.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I struggled a bit more than I had expected because the track conditions are very different than they were for the tests. There is not much grip and I have a bit of trouble stopping the bike. These are the two main areas to work on. We also saved a few tyre solutions for tomorrow, since we know which tyres work best thanks to the tests. I liked the new fairing a lot. I had asked the engineers for it and they did a great job getting it ready in just 10 days. I will definitely use it for this weekend, but I think it is a solution that can work well on all the tracks."

SAM LOWES
"A strange day for everyone. A lot of guys tested here not long ago, including us, but today the track conditions were completely different. This morning the asphalt was damp too, which was just one more difficulty. Despite everything, we found a good base to work on tomorrow, especially in the final laps of the second session. I'm in a group of riders that are all within a half a second of one another. Tomorrow with higher temperatures we will definitely be able to have our say."

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Public transport is very easy into the city. The Roman Spa City of Bath, England's only UNESCO World Heritage City, has a wealth of museums, attractions and amazing architecture. Close to Castle Combe Race Track with enjoyable rides to Wookey Hole, Cheddar Gorge and the standing stones of Avebury.

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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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Along the EM 504 road in Central Portugal, on the border between the two districts of Coimbra and Guarda, near the picturesque villages of Meruge, Santa Eulália and Lagares da Beira, within an easy ride to the cities of Oliveira do Hospital, Coimbra and Viseu, Piódão, the Forest of Buçaco, Monsanto and the coastal city of Porto, known for its medieval riverside, stately bridges and narrow cobbled streets.

where: Quinta do Amial, Meruge, 3405-351 Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal. GPS: N 40 23.951 / W 7 49.567

www.toca-da-raposa.com

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