Aprilia is concerned about losing the reference with Aleix Espargaro – but you have to be able to back up statements with data
The Aprilia factory team has completely repositioned itself for 2025 and 2026. Aleix Espargaro is leaving the Italian brand after eight years and moving to Honda as a test rider. Maverick Vinales joins KTM and will ride for the Tech3 team
Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi will take their places. Espargaro’s departure in particular is a censorship. After all, the Spaniard’s feedback over many years has had a significant influence on the development direction of the RS-GP.
The engineers know Espargaro very well and can interpret his feedback precisely. He was the reference. “His statements were very important to us for the development”,
In the background, Aprilia is already developing the bike for next year. When Martin and Bezzecchi test the bike for the first time in Valencia at the end of November, it will mainly be about things like the seating position and getting to know it for the first time.
Their feedback cannot be taken into account for the development of the RS-GP25. This is because the motorcycles will be assembled in December and sent to Malaysia for winter testing in mid-January.
Aprilia is therefore currently developing a motorcycle with feedback from two riders, which will then be ridden by two other riders. “We are thinking about it,” confirms Bonora. “It will certainly not be easy to swap both riders next year.”
“But we believe that we have worked well in the past and have gotten better and better. We can see what the drivers are saying in the data. One driver expresses himself one way, another driver another. But they mean exactly the same thing. “
“The key will be to integrate the drivers well into the team so that this process is simple. So that you can explain the statements with the data. Of course, it will be difficult at the beginning, but we have every opportunity to get it right.”
Another factor that the engineers have to consider is the riding styles. While Espargaro has an old-school riding style, Martin, for example, rides completely differently with an extreme hang-off. This also influences the riding dynamics of the bike.
Bonora confirms that this is a factor in the considerations. He is not worried because: “We have two riders who ride completely differently. Aleix rides an old style, he always sits on the bike, even in the braking phase and in the middle of the corner.”
“We know exactly his weight distribution in all riding conditions. On the other hand, we have Maverick, who rides completely differently. He brakes completely differently and sets up the bike earlier. Of course, we don’t know exactly how Martin’s riding style suits our bike.”
“But in principle, we know these two different riding styles.” The influence of Martin and Bezzecchi will only be felt on the bike for 2026. On the other hand, the new motorcycle for 2027 is already being developed in the background. The first prototype could be on the track by the end of 2025.
