Aprilia & SMR confirm factory tie-up for 2017

Shaun Muir Racing and Aprilia have officially confirmed their factory tie-up for the 2017 and 2018 WorldSBK seasons, announcing IodaRacing’s Lorenzo Savadori as Eugene Laverty’s team-mate for next year.

SMR have endured a difficult transition from British Superbikes, where they were twice Champions, to the World Championship, a lack of factory support from BMW severely holding the team back.

Rumours of Aprilia joining forces with SMR for next year have been circulating for some time, and the move was all but confirmed when Laverty signed for the team earlier in the year. Having reduced their efforts in WorldSBK this year to leasing just two RSV4s to series owners Dorna Sports, which were taken up by the Ioda team, Aprilia will now have factory projects in both the Superbike World Championship and MotoGP.

On the deal, Team Prinicpal Shaun Muir said: “For SMR, collaboration with Aprilia Racing for 2017 and 2018 means a real chance to fight for the win. Aprilia has a strong and victorious history in World Superbikes and we are determined to continue on the same path. Having Eugene (Laverty) and Lorenzo (Savadori) on board makes this a dream team. I with to thank Milwaukee, Gulf and all of the partners who are supporting our project.”

“In Shaun Muri’s team we found a partner who shares our goal and who, after making a good name for themselves in the British Championship, wants to get to the top of the world category,” Aprilia Racing Manager Romano Albesiano added.

“Our agreement includes, in addition to providing bikes and materials, support from Aprilia Racing personnel to manage and develop the RSV4, a jewel of technology that will once again be able to show its worth, within a factory support-type relationship.”

With SMR moving forward with Laverty and Savadori, question marks appear over the futures of the team’s current riders Josh Brookes and Karel Abraham. Rumours suggest Abraham will stay in WorldSBK, though with who remains unclear, whilst 2015 BSB Champion Brookes could well return to the series in 2017.