Michael Scott | April 13, 2022
Cycle News In The Paddock
COLUMN
Springtime for Aprilia
Don’t ask me how that happened. Aprilia, I mean. From bottom of the class to the top of the podium, in one easy move. Well, perhaps not one; it’s actually taken seven years of dogged persistence in the face of serial humiliation. But it still seems to have elements of all-of-a-sudden.
Aleix Espargaro’s Argentine GP win, the first ever in the premier class for the other Italian marque, did not have any appearance, however, of a flash in the pan. It came after he had dominated the abbreviated practice sessions at the Argentine track and claimed Aprilia’s first four-stroke pole (the last was by Jeremy McWilliams at Phillip Island in 2000, on the undersize “super-250” 500-class twin).
Aleix Espargaro’s win on the Aprilia gives the brand more clout and may help attract some high-level riders. Photo: Gold & Goose
The win was achieved with patience and ultimate superiority. It may have looked as though Jorge Martin’s Ducati had the upper hand, but Espargaro was playing a canny waiting game. When he did ultimately get by after a couple of earlier feints at the end of the long straight, he pulled steadily clear. No further questions, M’lud.
(Any temptation to evoke the “cat and mouse” image must be resisted. As long as Marc Marquez is not there, there is an element instead of “while the cat’s away, the mice will play.”)
Aprilia really has been climbing a big hill. One obvious disadvantage is financial—the smallest budget on the grid—the result of minuscule sales compared with Honda et al, and no major sponsor. This latter might now change, of course.
Another, the loss of the technical guru who led them to such massive superiority in the 250 class, that Dorna replaced it with the one-size-fits-all Moto2 class instead, fed up with how Aprilia were manipulating the outcome by giving better engines to favored teams and riders. The architect of that success was none other than Gigi Dall’Igna who departed to join Ducati in 2013. There, he has shown himself the most innovative of designers, with class-leading introductions of aerodynamics and “shape-shifting” adjustable ride-height devices.
So, Aprilia struggled, short of experienced manpower and unable to afford high-level riders. The most crippling factor, evidently, was that technical mastermind Romano Albesiano was also tasked with overall management. It clearly spread him a bit thin.
This cycle was broken at the beginning of 2018, when Massimo Rivola was hired fresh from Formula One to take over as CEO. This freed Albesiano to concentrate on technical development, where he was at last able to achieve full potential.
More was to follow in 2020, with a further budget boost supporting a major engine redesign. Until then Aprilia had used a narrower-angle 72-degree V4, in line with their production ethos. Now they switched to the class-standard 90 degrees, like KTM, Honda and Ducati. A new chassis came too, to accommodate the different engine architecture.
But there was another blow. Espargaro’s teammate Andrea Iannone, a MotoGP race winner, was given a four-year ban for an anti-doping offence, robbing the team of a high-level rider.
Espargaro and erstwhile teammate Bradley Smith still had to wait. The last item on the list was reliability. For the first season, revs were restricted, and likewise performance. For 2021, the bike was close to full readiness. Reliability was much improved, despite the boost in revs and horsepower. Faithful jockey Aleix Espargaro finished 13 out of 18 races.
More significant were his results. He achieved the company’s first four-stroke podium at Silverstone, while every other finish was in the top 10. In super-close new-style MotoGP, that spoke volumes.
The first win was even louder, cementing a complete change in status. Aprilia remained as the only concession team, which allows them free engine development and testing. But this status is in serious jeopardy. A manufacturer accrues points over two consecutive years, with three for a win, two for second and one for third, in dry races. Silverstone’s third and Argentina’s win give Aprilia four points. One second place or two thirds will tip the balance.
Success of course breeds success. Aprilia’s new position makes the bike much more attractive to high-level riders. To name just one, Fabio Quartararo has yet to sign up for 2023, and his disenchantment with Yamaha’s lack of power and speed play large in the equation.
In this way, Aprilia will be able to pick and choose. Espargaro added some piquancy with his post-win comments, that Moto2 riders he had approached to join the team will now be regretting not taking the option. He didn’t name names, but American Joe Roberts was one, choosing at the end of 2020 to gamble on staying in Moto2, where he had “more chance to win.”
Aleix Espargaro’s loyalty and development input may be enough to keep him on board, but you have to wonder just how secure new arrival Maverick Vinales is feeling. CN
Click here for all the latest MotoGP news.
