The third time’s the charm.
It seems Aprilia might hand Andrea Dovizioso the factory seat for 2022 after the team confirms the rider to continue testing for the third time this season.
The three-time MotoGP runner up will continue testing onboard the Aprilia RS-GP next month in Misano ahead of a possible return to the grid next season.
The third test will take place on the 23rd and 24th of June at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
The move will allow Aprilia to assess the strength and weakness of the RS-GP properly ahead of next season.
Moreover, since the second test at Mugello was heavily impacted by bad weather, the third test is crucial for Aprilia’s preparation.
“Since I wasn’t able to test at Mugello in dry conditions, I’m pleased that Aprilia Racing asked me to continue the work we started in Jerez and to be able to provide my contribution to developing the bike.
“I think this will be beneficial for both of us – for me, to continue training on a MotoGP bike in anticipation of a possible return in 2022 and for Aprilia to receive what they feel to be interesting information. For this reason, we decided to do more tests,” said Dovizioso.
Aprilia dilaporkan telah menawarkan slot ke MotoGP untuk pelumba Moto2, Marco Bezzecchi musim depan.
Bagaimanapun, Bezzecchi mengakui telah menolak tawaran terbabit tanpa mendedahkan sebab disebalik keputusan itu.
Namun, pengendali VR46, Pablo Nieto, mendedahkan pasukan itu mahu Bezzecchi kekal di Moto2.
“Masa depan Bezzecchi adalah bersama kami. Dia akan berlumba dengan kami untuk 2021.
“Mereka telah cuba untuk mendapatkan tandatangan Marco (Bezzecchi) dan dia merupakan calon utama Aprilia.
“Tetapi bagi kami, Marco (Bezzecchi) adalah peneraju utama VR46 bagi projek Moto2 muism depan.
“Saya juga berasakan dia mahu kekal di Moto2 dan merebut kejuaraan musim depan,” jelas Neito kepada DAZN.
Dalam perkembangan lain, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Aprilia, Massimo Rivola mendedahkan pelumba uji, Bradley Smith, dilihat sebagai calon relevan untuk menggantikan Andrea Iannone bagi musim 2021.
Iannone berdepan penggantungan empat tahun dari sukan permotoran selepas Mahkamah Timbang Tara Sukan (CAS) melanjutkan penggantungan 18 bulan yang dikenakan FIM sebelum ini.
Pelumba Itali itu gagal ujian doping sewaktu ujian rawak di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) pada November 2019.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini has confirmed that their current rider, Aleix Espargaro, will continue racing with them in MotoGP until the end of the 2022 season. A new two-year contract was inked with the Spaniard who was been riding and developing the Aprilia RS-GP machine since their return back in 2017. (more…)
The final MotoGP factory squad, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, unveiled their latest 2020 Aprilia RS-GP with the latest livery (same, same but different compared to last season’s) but with a slight difference to other teams; their official photoshoot includes Aprilia’s official test rider, Bradley Smith. (more…)
Aleix Espargaro meluahkan rasa kecewa terhadap rakan sepasukan Aprilia MotoGP, Andrea Iannone, dan melabelkan pelumba itu sebagai ‘kurang ajar’ ketika ujian pra-musim di Litar Losail, Qatar.
Iannone medakwa jentera serba baharu pasukan itu, RS-GP20 lahir dengan input dari dirinya.
“Ini merupakan antara jentera yang paling cantik di MotoGP. Kami telah mengambil segala langkah penting untuk maju ke depan.
“Saya memainkan peranan penting dalam pembangunan jentera baharu ini yang direka mengikut arahan saya,” jelasnya.
Bagaimanapun, kenyataan itu lantas cetus kemarahan Espargaro yang menyifatkan Iannone sebagai tidak menghormati keringat yang telah dicurahkan jurutera Aprilia termasuk pelumba uji, Bradley Smith dalam menghasilkan RS-GP20.
Espargaro turut menegaskan kenyataan Iannone sebagai tidak betul.
“Saya tidak pernah ada masalah dengan sesiapa pun terutamanya dengan rakan sepasukan di Aprilia.
“Tetapi kenyataan yang dibuat telah menamatkan hubungan baik kami kerana kenyataan itu langsung tidak menghormati para jurutera, mekanik dan Bradley.
“Dia sendiri sedar kenyataan itu tidak benar. Dia menggunakan tetapan jentera saya dan sentiasa berada di belakang saya di setiap perlumbaan. Jadi kenyataan dilakukan itu tidak adil bagi pasukan Aprilia.
“Tetapi kita semua tahu perangai Andrea (Iannone),” jelas Espargaro.
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Masa depan Andrea Iannone di MotoGP masih lagi tergantung tatkala Mahkamah Disiplin Antarabangsa FIM masih belum membuat keputusan melibatkan kes gagal ujian doping pelumba terbabit.
Iannone didapati positif penggunaan bahan terlarang ketika ujian doping rambang yang dijalankan terhadapnya di GP Malaysia tahun lalu.
Meskipun menyifatkan keputusan itu mengejutkan, ujian sample B pelumba terbabit turut didapati positif walaupun kandungan bahan terbabit berkurangan.
Bagaimanapun, Iannone tidak akan dibenarkan melibatkan diri dengan sebarang aktiviti perlumbaan sehingga keputusan akhir dibuat berhubung kesnya.
Menurut laporan motorsport.com, keputusan sebutan kes Iannone akan dibuat dalam tempoh 10 hari.
Difahamkan, pihak pembelaan Iannone mencadangkan bahawa tiada kesan penggunaan bahan terlarang jenis steroid didapati ketika melakukan ujian terhadap sampel rambut pelumba itu.
Mereka sebaliknya mendakwa makanan diambil Iannone telah dicemari dengan bahan terlarang terbabit.
Berdasarkan senario semasa, Iannone tidak akan mengambil bahagian dalam ujian pra-musim Aprilia di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang bermula 7 hingga 9 Februari ini.
(SUMBER: Motorsport.com)
The first sessions of the MotoGP Sepang shakedown test have begun, and the internet is already buzzing with photos of the 2020 Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP bike debuting here in Malaysia. The Italian manufacturer is looking to stir things up with a host of upgrades and changes which will hopefully see them higher up the grid in the upcoming season. (more…)
What happens when a MotoGP factory team gets a huge injection of cash? You get a new engine, of course! Along with many other things, Aprilia has somewhat ‘revealed’ that they’ll be using a brand new V4 engine for the 2020 Aprilia RS-GP thanks to some monetary help from the parent company, Piaggio Group. (more…)
The current Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Andrea Iannone has announced that he will be riding for the Aprilia factory squad for 2019 and 2020. This comes to as no surprise thanks to a number of rumours floating around for a while and further discussed after announcing his exit from Suzuki at the end of the season. (more…)
Just before things kick off at the 2018 HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France, Aleix Espargaro has confirmed his contract extension with the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini squad for another two seasons. This means that the 28-year-old Spaniard will be piloting the Aprilia RS-GP until the end of 2020. (more…)
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