APRILIA RS-GP
Aprilia Racing: Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales RNF MotoGP: Miguel Oliveira, Raul Fernandez
LAST YEAR APRILIA WON THEIR FIRST MotoGp race and the rs-Gp was probably the second-best motorcycle on the grid, after the Ducati; so, can the little noale factory catch the Bologna giants in 2023?
‘our 2023 bike is better everywhere,’ said the lead rider, aleix espargaró. ‘the aerodynamics are better, the chassis is a bit lighter and turns a bit better, thanks to the new aero, and the engine is slightly faster. But i’m not sure it will be enough. after Ducati we aren’t bad, but all their riders are very fast.’
there is little doubt that aprilia and Ducati currently build the best bikes, largely because they have embraced downforce aerodynamics, hiring formula 1 aerodynamicists to unlock the secrets of this hugely important new area of performance.
‘the engineers have done a super-good job,’ continued espargaró. ‘the bike is also a bit narrower, which allows me to be more aggressive in changes of direction. and the rider cooling is much better; last year i got burned in indonesia, Malaysia, and thailand.’
aprilia introduced their ground-effect fairing midway through last season and the design has been tweaked for 2023. the factory has also tested small ground-effect fitments to the front wheel and socalled s-ducts (another f1 trick) that funnel air from the main intake and out of exits either side of the screen to smooth airflow, thereby reducing turbulence and drag.
the rs-Gp’s main deficiency is straight-line braking. Michelin’s rear slick is so much better than its front that factories try to reduce forward pitch as much as possible to allow riders to use a lot of rear brake.
of course, the biggest change for aprilia is the addition of an independent team, rnf, so there will be four rs-Gps on the grid. KtM refugees Miguel oliveira and raul fernandez are both delighted with the bike, which is more userfriendly than the rC16.