Aprilia coup as Brivio returns
Not for the first time, Aleix Espargaro made a lone stand on track for Aprilia with an imposing performance as the first non-Ducati rider at the Sepang test.
Off track the headlines were just as impressive with the poaching of acclaimed team principal Davide Brivio as the new boss of the ambitious American funded Trackhouse team.
While Brivio’s return to MotoGP after a stint with Alpine F1 is with the satellite squad, it would not be a surprise if his political nous and management skills are also tapped by Aprilia bosses.
His world championship roles at Yamaha and Suzuki are an enviable CV and will bring clarity to the Trackhouse and Aprilia project as they fall behind KTM as both factories see to tackle Ducati supremacy. Strategy and rider line-ups for 2025 will be of growing importance in that fight.
Aprilia had a massive aero programme at Sepang reflecting the intensity and enthusiasm of tech boss Romano Albesiano in this area with a diffuser style rear seat unit.
Espargaro lapped it up, less so teammate Maverick Viñales. He lacked feel and confidence on the heavier handling in direction changes, something which is increasingly an issue in pack racing.
That’s a concern, Viñales is an instinctive talent when things are right. And there are engine issues and debilitating heat soak.
Corner speed and time attack bravery rewarded Espargaro in the test: “We need torque in mid-range after changing gear, more power. The 2024 bike is definitely much better than the 2023 but our weakness is still the engine.”