Aprilia's 2023 MotoGP weapon

What have the Italians cooked up?

Aprilia Racing’s A-Team (left to right): Maverick Viñales, Romano Albesiano, Lorenzo Savadori, Massimo Rivola and Aleix Espargaró. Image: Piaggio Group

The 2023 MotoGP championship begins at the Portimao circuit in Portugal on March 26, and there’s one team that worked extra hard in the off season to arrive prepared to take on its mighty Italian rival from Bologna: Aprilia Racing.

Spanish journeyman Aleix Espargaró brought his emotion and determination to a somewhat disappointing fourth-place finish last year, after giving the championship favorites a strong run for their money up until the end of the season. Love him or leave him, the Spaniard keeps pushing Aprilia for more, and it appears the engineers from Noale worked overtime to deliver a machine Espargaró and his compatriot Maverick Viñales can push to the podium straightaway.

(Left to right): Savadori, Espargaró and Viñales. Image: Piaggio Group

"Our growth is undeniable, as is how rapidly we improved,” Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola explained at today’s team launch. “It is a path that did not come about by chance. We are a better company from every point of view, so I expect this trend to continue. Our challenge will now increase with the further responsibility of a satellite team which, while on one hand will allow us to have much more information available, will also be an important test bench for our organizational and analytical ability.

“The winter break, which was actually one of the most labor-intensive periods, was positive, as were the first tests, but only in the race will we be able to assess our level with respect to our rivals. We’ll be under more pressure and we are faced with a new format which implies new challenges for teams and riders, but we have prepared well and I believe that we’ll start the championship season with extremely high motivation. Goals? To do better than last year."

Aprilia Racing Technical Director Romano Albesiano concurred.

"We are rather convinced that we worked well during the winter break and the first tests have already provided some confirmation of this,” Albesiano added. “The technical situation will be new for us, also having a second team to support and from which to be able to draw important information. The race weekends will also bring some changes, with the introduction of the Sprint Race which will demand a specific approach. Every detail of the new RS-GP is an evolution of the 2022 concept, with a numerical improvement of all the main aspects and the development program anticipates further refinements throughout the season."

Aleix Espargaró. Image: Piaggio Group

"Being with Aprilia for such a long time puts a certain amount of pressure on me because I know how important results are for this company,” Espargaró explained. “At the same time, maturity and the fact that I know the people I work with well give me peace of mind. The 2023 championship season will begin with plenty of unknowns. The new format with the Sprint Race on Saturday will demand even more preparation of us riders but no one can truly assess the actual impact of this change yet. I have prepared to my best ability and I am confident that we will have fun again this year."

Maverick Viñales. Image: Piaggio Group

"I learned a lot in 2022 about Aprilia and my team, but also about myself,” Viñales added. “In this new season, we’ll be able to put everything learned during this apprenticeship into practice. I liked the new RS-GP straight away. It has improved in aspects, such as early throttle opening management, which are fundamental for my riding style. I like the new weekend format. It will be interesting both for the fans and for the teams which will have a chance to prepare for the Sunday race using the Sprint Race. I can't wait to get started. The break was refreshing, but now I just want to get back out on the track!"

Lorenzo Savadori. Image: Piaggio Group

"The new 2023 RS-GP 2023 has clearly grown, but I think there is still margin for improvement,” factory tester Savadori explained. “Our goal is to continue testing new solutions. We have some interesting ideas to implement. Physically, I am at 100% after recovering from various injuries so, as always, I will be ready to go. The biggest improvement of the new Aprilia? I’d say the engine. We made more than one step forward and I think that this will help us during the course of the season."

The 2023 Aprilia RS-GP. Images: Piaggio Group

Why this report on Aprilia and not the other teams? Aprilia is part of the Piaggio Group, which owns Vespa, Gilera, Derbi and the storied Moto Guzzi. I’ve owned four Moto Guzzis, the Italian manufacturer based in Mandello del Lario on Lake Como, a place a few of us will finally visit during our European motorcycle trip this August.

Which MotoGP team are you rooting for this season?