Aprilia returned to MotoGP last year using an upgraded version of the 2014 ART Superbike, which allowed the team to focus on this years contender, the RS-GP, which is to full MotoGP specification.
Having completed a full week of testing last week, riders Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista will be in Qatar to put the new bike through its paces during this week’s final pre-season test.
The new RS-GP 2016 together with @19Bautista and @stefanbradl!#aprilia #bearacer pic.twitter.com/Nsvzug0dIq
— Aprilia (@ApriliaOfficial) March 3, 2016
“The upcoming season will be a very important one for us,” Aprilia racing manager Romano Albesiano said.
“The new bike reflects recent Aprilia Racing tradition, reinterpreting every concept without compromise, and it is the most ambitious project our racing department has ever undertaken.
“The first responses from testing have been positive. We received very positive feedback from both riders specifically from a dynamics point of view.
“In any case, this is the beginning of a long path and we are well aware of the inevitable difficulties that come along with any new project.”
When asked about the new RS-GP, German rider Bradl spoke positively about the new bike and Aprilia MotoGP project.
“The first contact with the new bike was definitely positive, despite the fact that it’s still too early to take a position,” he said.
“Now our job will be to explore the potential of the RS-GP lap after lap.
“We really have a lot on our plate, but we also have a wide margin for improvement.
“For the first time in my career, I’m working on an official team with the job of developing a new project.
“I think that this is the greatest condition possible for a rider who wants to set his sights on staying out front.”
