The second Aprilia rider for 2022, who will team up with Aleix Espargaró, is one of the main unknowns in the MotoGP market. Noale ‘s brand has already expressed its interest in going after Maverick Viñales after announcing his departure from Yamaha, although Andrea Dovizioso is another option and it is not ruled out that Lorenzo Savadori renew.
Dovizioso has carried out three tests with the RS-GP so far this year, at Jerez, at Mugello (in the rain) and at Misano. More tests are scheduled for the end of July. For now, times have not transpired and both parties have limited themselves to saying that they were “interesting”.
“Dovizioso has done some tests with us. So far he hasn’t been very competitive and it seems he doesn’t want to race. I’m a big fan of his, but it’s hard for him to be my teammate,” Espargaro said in an interview with DAZN, who later After the news broke in Assen that Viñales wanted to leave Yamaha, he did not want to comment on the possibility of signing for Aprilia for 2022 and insisted that he only wants a “strong” teammate.
The development work of the RS-GP continues to fall on the shoulders of Espargaró, who also has things to prove throughout the Grand Prix.
“It’s difficult to develop the bike because you have to try new things,” he said. “Aprilia wanted me to do some tests during the summer holidays and to go to the wind tunnel. It would help me if I had a stronger partner, or if there was a satellite team, because that way they could spread the work over more shoulders and collect more data” .
Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
In the spring of 2020, Espargaró renewed with Aprilia for two more years. He then pointed out that it could have been his last contract in MotoGP. The evolution of the RS-GP could change your mind.
“After suffering for so long it would be unfair to leave this project,” says #41 . “I am considering racing in 2023-2024. Last year I came home bitter, disconnected and was happy. I weighed it up a lot with my wife and I wanted things that would make me happy. After the arrival of Massimo [Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing] , during COVID-19 I spoke with him and that motivated me a bit. Testing the new bike, I confirmed that what he had told me was true. We will see what happens in the future, but it is possible that he will continue for two more years.”
