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APRILIA PREPARES FOR THE SECOND ROUND IN QATAR

31 March 2021

The double race on the same circuit is one of the changes that the MotoGP circus made in response to the limitations generated by the international situation. After the experience last season, riders and teams have learned to tackle what is, in all actuality, a new challenge. In fact, the double round presents some unique situations: the setup, if possible, must go into even more detail, without neglecting the obvious adjustments to the changed asphalt conditions.

This is no simple task, particularly for Aprilia, as they are still exploring the potential of the revamped RS-GP. Feedback from the first GP was positive, especially for Aleix Espargaró, finishing seventh but having brought his bike to a gap of just 5 seconds and 93 hundredths from the winner. Never, in all its history, has Aprilia been so high in the MotoGP field.

Lorenzo Savadori, on the other hand, will be making the most of the experience gained during the first weekend. Still not perfectly at ease, both because of a lack of confidence on the new bike and due to a shoulder which continues to limit him, Lorenzo will continue his apprenticeship, seeking to increase his performance level.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“The first weekend gave us the feedback we were looking for. We showed, even for those who were sceptical, that we have taken a step forward in the race, as well as in practice. We still have room to grow and the double round here in Doha will give us a chance to continue improving the RS-GP. Goals? Shaving off a few tenths in qualifying and increasing race pace. Getting even closer to the leaders would mean battling for an important result. It won’t be easy. Everyone will have the chance to improve, including solving some problems they had in the first race, so I expect the competition to be even fiercer.”

LORENZO SAVADORI
“Even if the first race didn’t go as we had hoped, for us it was important to gather information on how the new bike behaves. We’ll use what we learned last weekend to set up our work. We know what our weak points will be and that’s where we’ll have to focus. During the break, I tried to recuperate as much as possible and, although it has improved, my shoulder is still a limitation. The situation is manageable during practice, but I can definitely feel the strain in the race.”