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SBK, Albesiano: "Aprilia will soon be back on the podium"

The Noale racing department manager is pleased about MotoGP: "we're happy with Espargarò" and relaunches Superbike: "we want to stay with Laverty and Savadori"

SBK: Albesiano: "Aprilia will soon be back on the podium"

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The Aprilia has changed radically in the space of just one year: at the 2016 Misano SBK round, the Noale RSV4 bikes were strong and battled for the podium, while in MotoGP results were in short supply. Now, on the other hand, it's the Superbikes that have dropped back: the Milwaukee RSV4 are never in the mix for the win, while the RS-GP is beginning to prove itself.

Romano Albesiano is pleased with what Aprilia is doing in MotoGP:In MotoGP we're achieving very good results in terms of bike performance - confirms the Noale racing manager- it's true, we haven't yet been able to consolidate what the speed of the RS-GP has expressed, but the important part has been done: we know that the performance is there”.

You're pleased with Aleix Espargarò…

Yes. Aleix is getting on well with the bike generally. Sam Lowes is not giving all that we'd hoped but this year the level is so high that it would be tough for anyone. He is a rookie and it's normal for him to be struggling, because there's little time to learn and keep pace. His biggest limit is in braking”.

What's happening with the tyres in MotoGP do you think?

The tyres are now more important than the bike, so, if you can't find the right way to use them, even if you have the best bike, you can be fast. With our Aprilia, management at the rear is great, while we need to be more careful in terms of front tyre wear.

Changing the subject and moving to Superbike, Albesiano wants to clarify one think: “there isn't 'our' bike and an 'Ioda' bike: we have a clear and continuous relationship and project with Milwaukee, supported by our Noale technicians. But team Iodaracing also has a relationship with us, with the same support as the Milwaukee team”.

Mercado has often been quicker than Savadori and Laverty…

In fact, Mercado's performance is more in line with our expectations; right now, Lorenzo and Eugene haven't reached the level we want with our bike”.

Savadori's contract expires at the end of the year, what are you thinking?

Savadori won the Superstock1000 championship with us, he also achieved positive results for us last season and our aim would be to continue to collaborate with him, we're trying to find the way to do this”.

Laverty, on the other hand?

We like Laverty too, he has a direct relationship with team Milwaukee, which runs out in 2018 So Laverty is OK”.

At this point, I ask you: will Aprilia move forward with team Milwaukee?

“The contract with this team is a two-year contract, and we want to respect that. 2017 has helped Aprilia and Milwaukee to build for a 2018 that needs to see Aprilia and its RSV4 in the positions it deserves, or rather on the podium”.

Why is there such a gap to your rivals?

We stopped development of the RSV4 for two years, because last season Iodaracing worked very well, but with ‘stationary’ material in terms of development. This year, we've started to invest again but it takes time to make up that gap to our adversaries who, in the meantime, haven't stood still.”

On a scale of  1 to 10, what is the investment spread between MotoGP and SBK?

“The ratio is 9 to 1. So, MotoGP absorbs 90% of company resources and commitment, SBK the remaining 10%”.

There is talk of a single ECU for all. Does this interest you?

We would need to understand what the ECU would be and we'd also need to see what software could be used. We at Aprilia race with an internally developed electronics system, but if we had to use a different one, we don't plan to block that. We'll see what happens, what's certain is that we will continue to developed technologies on track and propose them in our production bikes”.

What would you do to improve Superbike?

“There was a phase in which the SBK hit harder and would often beat MotoGP in terms of audience figures and the number of manufacturers involved. That's no longer the case, because the manager of the two series - Dorna, - is one and the same and they have made choices in favour of MotoGP.  Here we need races that differ to those of the MotoGP: in Superbike it would be good to have endurance races, with the relative pit stops and teams; it would also be good if the series included events like the Suzuka 8 Hours or the Le Mans 24 Hours. Also, it would be good for the various personalities to have more freedom: healthy rivalry, battles, there should be more controversy and it should be tolerated”.

 

 

Translated by Heather Watson
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