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Latest News & Results

 

THE TWO APRILIAS IN THE TOP-10 AGAIN AT MOTEGI

THE TWO APRILIAS IN THE TOP-10 AGAIN AT MOTEGI

17/10/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19799949
 
 
 
Motegi, 16 October 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
THE TWO APRILIAS IN THE TOP-10 AGAIN AT MOTEGI

ALVARO BAUTISTA SEVENTH AND STEFAN BRADL TENTH, CONFIRMING THE RS-GP'S PROGRESS

In the race that decided the 2016 World Championship, Aprilia has plenty to be satisfied about. Alvaro Bautista, fast and precise for all 23 laps, took a nice seventh place (his best result of the season) 23 seconds from the leader. Tenth place for Stefan Bradl after a small mistake in the finale kept him from making a go for ninth and eighth place.

Overall, the Japanese weekend confirmed the Italian team's excellent form. Fast in qualifying and consistent in the race, the season finale promises to be positive for both Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders. Alvaro Bautista got off the line well when the lights went out from his twelfth spot on the grid, overtaking Redding and Petrucci in succession. From the tenth lap, Alvaro kept the gap behind Pol Espargaró constant without making any mistakes and consistently lapping at 1'47. When the chequered flag came out, the gap behind the winner, Marquez, was 23 seconds, whereas the gap behind the fifth place finisher was reduced to 8 seconds.

Stefan Bradl also had a positive performance, skilfully recovering after a less than perfect start, coming back to take tenth place. The German also had the potential for a better placement, but a mistake in the penultimate lap made him lose contact with eighth and ninth place, positions that were within his grasp up to that point.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"A good race for us. We continued our trend in this stage of the season. We are headed to a track at Phillip Island that has very different characteristics where we will be seeking further confirmation. The goal is to keep improving, looking for more steps that will allow us to further close the gap behind the leaders. I am satisfied with everyone's work, from the team to the riders, as well as the guys who are working at home".
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"We confirmed our progress here again throughout the weekend. Despite the crashes in qualifying, the riders recovered well. Alvaro rode a great race and Stefan also brought home important points. We need to continue like this, taking small steps and staying focused. Aprilia and the team are doing an excellent job. We have narrowed the gap and now we need to set our sights on finishing the season well".
ALVARO BAUTISTA
"A good race, the best result so far with Aprilia. Of course, the crashes gave us a couple of positions, but that is all part of racing. I am especially satisfied with the work done this weekend. After not having good sensations on Friday, we were able to recover, going through to Q2. We showed that we can be fast on tracks with very different characteristics: from Misano, twisting, to Motegi with a lot of hard braking and acceleration sections. This is important as it shows that we have taken a step forward on all fronts. We will try to confirm this in the coming races. I want to finish the season in the best possible way".
STEFAN BRADL
"I am not fully satisfied with the race today. We had the potential to aim for a better result. Unfortunately, I lost a few positions straight away at the start, whereas during the race I could not find the same feeling braking that I had yesterday in practice. Because of that, I made a few mistakes that certainly cost us a few positions. In any case, being in the top-10 is important to continue our positive trend. We worked well throughout the weekend and we want to do the same at Phillip Island as well".

   
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FIRST STOP IN JAPAN FOR THE LONG MOTOGP TOUR

FIRST STOP IN JAPAN FOR THE LONG MOTOGP TOUR

12/10/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19735550
 
 
 
Motegi, 11 October 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
FIRST STOP IN JAPAN FOR THE LONG MOTOGP TOUR

APRILIA AT MOTEGI TO CONFIRM THE POSITIVE TREND

The first stop on the longest and most exciting tour of the 2016 MotoGP calendar is the Motegi Twin Ring, the Japanese circuit that has hosted the premier world motorcycle racing category since 1999.

For Aprilia, the goal is to confirm the excellent progress demonstrated in the latest European races. The RS-GP's growth has allowed Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl to shine in qualifying, twice going through to Q2 and consistently finishing in the top 10. This is encouraging performance that the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini is keen to confirm during this triple-header on three circuits with very different characteristics from one another.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"Motegi is a track where the bike's acceleration and braking qualities are particularly important, two of the RS-GP's positive characteristics. For the same reasons, it is a track characterized by high fuel consumption and a lot of stress on the braking systems. We will have a few solutions to improve brake calliper cooling and some strategies that are particularly attentive to consumption for the race. We have also taken a small step forward to improve engine performance. We will try to build on the improvements shown in recent races and our goal is still the top ten".
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"In the recent European rounds, both of our riders demonstrated excellent performance in the race, maintaining a good pace and significantly reducing the gap behind the leaders. This performance is a huge confidence booster for us in view of this long and important tour that includes three GP races in as many weeks on circuits with very different characteristics. Already this week in Japan we will be able to confirm the progress we have made, thanks to the new technical developments Aprilia has prepared. We are on a clear growth trend, which always makes it a pleasure to get onto the track".
ALVARO BAUTISTA
"Motegi is a special track with a lot of braking sections where I have always done well, even finishing on the podium. The results of the recent races have charged us up and motivated us for Japan, ready to battle for the top 10. Stability, both in braking and in acceleration, is the characteristic we will need to work the most on this weekend".
STEFAN BRADL
"These will be three intense weeks, but I am optimistic about the three races. Especially Motegi suits my riding style well, so I think I will be able to aim for a good result, continuing our trend of improvement. It will be important to exploit my characteristics and those of my RS-GP as much as possible. The top 10 remains our primary goal. It would be nice to start off straight away with a nice race in order to get this tour off on the right foot".

   
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GRESINI RACING, 5 YEARS PRINTING WITH ROLAND DG

GRESINI RACING, 5 YEARS PRINTING WITH ROLAND DG

03/10/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19622589
 
 
03/10/2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
 
GRESINI RACING, 5 YEARS PRINTING WITH ROLAND DG
  

The 2016 season marks the fifth year of collaboration between Gresini Racing and Roland DG, market leading manufacturer of wide-format print and cut technology. From 2012, all decals applied on motorcycles, vehicles and facilities of Gresini Racing teams are in fact made with Roland DG printing and cutting devices.
 
Recently, with the setting up of a graphic workshop in the new Racing Department in Faenza, Italy, the partnership with Roland DG has become even more important for Gresini Racing, which needs to implement the graphics layout and reproduce sponsors logos for three different teams involved in all the three classes of the MotoGP World Championship.
 
The laboratory is specifically equipped with a VersaCAMM VS-640i digital printer with integrated precision contour cutting, plus a CAMM-1 GX-24 cutting plotter.

 
ANTONELLO CRISTOFORI (Roland DG Mid Europe Marketing Manager)
“That between Roland DG and Gresini Racing is a strong partnership that has been going on for many years. All graphics made by Gresini Racing for the entire season are created with a printing and cutting plotter VersaCAMM VS-640i: from the liveries of the bikes participating in all the three classes of MotoGP World Championship to the personalization of hospitality units, garage and workshop trucks. We are happy to work with Gresini Racing and contribute, in part, to the team’s sporting success”.
 
FAUSTO GRESINI
“The support provided by Roland DG is crucial for Gresini Racing: their equipment allow us to independently realize all the stickers which compose the graphic layout of the bikes taking to the track, as well as the layout of the workshop trucks, garages and hospitality facilities. As you can imagine it’s a job that requires a continuous effort throughout the whole year, to meet the various graphics needs of our sponsors and to face the potential changes of the layout that may arise. Being able to make independently all stickers with Roland DG equipment allows us to speed up the work and to present ourselves in the best possible way on the tracks around the World”.
GOOD RACE AND EXCELLENT RESULT FOR THE APRILIAS AT ARAGÓN

GOOD RACE AND EXCELLENT RESULT FOR THE APRILIAS AT ARAGÓN

26/09/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19535100
 
 
 
Alcañiz, 25 September 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
GOOD RACE AND EXCELLENT RESULT FOR THE APRILIAS AT ARAGÓN

TIGHT GAPS AND DOUBLE TOP 10 FOR BAUTISTA AND BRADL'S RS-GP MACHINES

ROMANO ALBESIANO: "A NICE MOMENT OF GROWTH, AWARE OF OUR POTENTIAL"

Aprilia's positive trend was confirmed once again under the chequered flag at Aragón. The RS-GP machines ridden by Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl finished respectively in ninth and tenth place, with a gap behind the leader of just over 20 seconds for the Spaniard (23.071 for Bautista, 27.898 for Bradl).
This is a result that Aprilia has built toward throughout the championship, developing a bike in its true rookie season even directly in the races.

The race, where Bradl started from the twelfth spot on the grid and Alvaro from the fourteenth, began well straight away for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, moving up through the ranks in the initial phases. In the subsequent laps, Bautista and Bradl's pace shown through, both skilfully maintaining interesting times while their direct rivals showed an increasingly marked drop in performance. During the seventh lap, Alvaro overtook his teammate, proceeding to hunt down the pair made up of Pol Espargaró and Andrea Dovizioso. He engaged in a heated battle with the rider from Forlì, coming out on top and moving into a nice ninth place. Behind him, Stefan Bradl continued his progress, finishing the race in tenth place.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"A nice race, with two bikes in the top ten in a race without crashes. The gap behind the leader is the lowest we have ever achieved, and that is rather encouraging data. Technically, the trend is very good. It is clear both from the performance in all the practice sessions and from the atmosphere within the entire team, which understandably becomes "charged" when our potential gets interesting. We are on a positive note, but we must keep our feet on the ground. Our work is certainly not done yet, given our objectives. We need to improve on all fronts, but we are aware of our potential".
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"Today we showed that a concrete step forward has been taken recently. We have grown and the gap behind the winner today shows it, the best since the beginning of the season. All this means that Aprilia is working hard and well and that the team is doing the best possible job. Alvaro and Stefan rode a great race, bringing home an excellent result for the team. We are beginning to achieve this type of result more and more compared with the past and this is another positive aspect. This performance is a great confidence booster and we needed it to keep working with even more determination".
ALVARO BAUTISTA
"A good weekend for us, ending with a double top 10. I had good sensations in the saddle throughout all the practice sessions and we did a good job. The, in FP4, when I had a consistent pace even with used tyres, I realized that we could do well in the race. I battled with Hernandez and with Dovi, managing to overtake them, and I fell in behind Pol whose times were very similar to mine. We maintained a good pace and I saw that we continued to make up ground on the group that was battling for fifth place, but toward the end of the race I lost a bit of feeling with the rear tyre. In any case, ninth place is a great result for me and for Aprilia, considering Stefan's performance as well. Since Misano we have definitely taken a step forward and I wish to thank the team and the guys who are hard at work at home. Now we will continue in this direction to finish the season well".
STEFAN BRADL
"I am happy with the top 10 and the weekend in general. We improved during practice and I hope to be able to continue this trend in the coming races. We took a step forward in terms of settings from the Misano race, especially improving in the braking phase and giving me a better feeling with the front tyre. We were able to further perfect things here, finding a good base straight away on Friday and then working to sort the details. Obviously, there is still room for improvement, for example in taking better advantage of the rear tyre to be faster with new tyres, but we are not far off. Now I have high expectations for myself for the season finale".

   
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TWO FINISHES IN THE POINTS AND BAUTISTA IN THE TOP TEN TO CLOSE OUT A WEEKEND OF GROWTH FOR THE RS-GP

TWO FINISHES IN THE POINTS AND BAUTISTA IN THE TOP TEN TO CLOSE OUT A WEEKEND OF GROWTH FOR THE RS-GP

12/09/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19360114
 
 
 
Misano, 11 September 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
TWO FINISHES IN THE POINTS AND BAUTISTA IN THE TOP TEN TO CLOSE OUT A WEEKEND OF GROWTH FOR THE RS-GP 

ALBESIANO: “A POSITIVE WEEKEND FROM THE START. WE ARE REAPING THE FRUITS OF OUR HARD WORK”

Alvaro Bautista's tenth place and Stefan Bradl's twelfth in the race demonstrate the progress that the Aprilia RS-GP machines showed throughout the weekend. The many changes tested in recent weeks and brought to the race at Misano gave the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders a positive approach from the very first sessions. Bautista going through to Q2 – the first time for the fledgling RS-GP – and Bradl's excellent fifth row spot on the grid were the prelude to an extremely solid race for the two.

Alvaro started well from the fourth row, but contact with another rider in the second lap cost him a few positions, precluding any chance of an even better final result. After closing the gap behind the rider ahead of him, he battled with teammate Stefan and Petrucci to then pull away with a consistent pace that allowed him to easily defend a significant tenth place finish. Bradl also rode a very solid race, finishing twelfth.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“This was a positive weekend from Friday. We achieved a good pace straight away with close gaps and consistently good positions. The race confirmed Alvaro's great quality in terms of pace and Stefan also rode a very positive race. My compliments to our riders! The bike is maturing in many of its aspects, especially in terms of chassis settings. The hard work we have done with the many frame and swingarm solutions, as well as the components we tested recently, is beginning to bear fruit and, most importantly, it confirms that we are moving in the right direction with the developments we will be continuing in the upcoming Valencia tests. I hope that this is the start of a phase where we will reap the results of the hard work done by the entire Aprilia Racing department”.
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
“First of all I would like to doubly thank Aprilia for their efforts and the entire team for their hard work this weekend. It's a pity about Alvaro's contact with Redding. He lost those positions that he then worked hard to recover and he would have been able to do even better. But we had a good pace and this race shows that we have taken another step in the right direction. The gap behind the top riders is closing, especially when you consider the fact that in the last portion of the race, after he had made up the lost positions, Alvaro did not have to push like he did at the start. Now we need to keep moving in this direction to keep growing, because we are not that far off”.
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“I am happy because we rode a good race and had a good weekend. We knew that, despite going through to Q2, it would be a hard battle to get into the top ten and that is our goal. I started well, but in the second lap I lost a few positions because of contact with another rider, so I had to push hard to come back. Then, in the first laps, I had a strange feeling with the rear tyre. We don't know why, but the bike slid around a lot. Then the situation went back to normal and I was able to maintain a good pace. I battled with Stefan and Petrucci, but once I overtook them I was able to pull away without any problems and I held my pace until the end. This was a decidedly positive weekend. We did a lot of good work finding new solutions for the bike and we improved, so I would like to thank Aprilia and the entire team for that. Now we want to continue moving in this direction to improve even more in the next portion of the season”.
STEFAN BRADL
“The weekend had started off well, but then a few problems kept me from using the evolution frame consistently. So for the race it was hard to choose which configuration to use and in the end I preferred the standard chassis. Unfortunately, it did not prove to be the best solution. I struggled with braking, the area where the new frame could have provided more advantages. In any case, the race result is not bad, considering the circumstances. I am back to finishing in the points. We showed some good signs during the weekend and we definitely learned a lot for the season finale”.

   
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GRESINI RACING: TWENTY YEARS OF PASSION ON TRACK

GRESINI RACING: TWENTY YEARS OF PASSION ON TRACK

11/09/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19344236
 
 
10/09/2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
 
GRESINI RACING: TWENTY YEARS OF PASSION ON TRACK
FAUSTO GRESINI
“Twenty years of activity is a major milestone and we are proud of it: it means that Gresini Racing can now be considered a piece of motorcycling history. The competitions have always been part of my life: first as a mechanic, then as a rider and now as a team manager. In tackling this job I have always tried to put the determination and the passion I had when I was wearing leathers and helmet, and the results were no less exciting. It’s difficult to describe the mix of emotions that I have experienced in all these years: the joys, the wins, but also difficult moments. I would first like to thank all those who have supported us over the years and who have helped to make Gresini Racing what it is today: a much more organized structure compared to the past, racing in all the three categories of the World Championship. This is our pride and it’s the completion of a project that I really wanted. I can see the future of Gresini Racing just like that: a team involved all-round in the Grand Prix World Championship, able to offer to the young riders a path to the pinnacle of motorcycle racing. It’s an exciting challenge for me, and who knows that it can’t continue for the next twenty years!”.

1997 - A MEMORABLE DEBUT
The debut of the Gresini Racing team in the 500cc class has the flavor of motorcycling of the past: the team is set up in less than two months and in the opening GP, aboard a very private Honda NSR500 V-twin machine, Alex Barros is fighting for the top positions before being forced to slow down due to technical problems.
 
1997 - THE JOY OF THE FIRST PODIUM
Donington, British Grand Prix: in his eleventh Grand Prix start, Gresini Racing enters already in the Olympus of motorcycling. Alex Barros is third behind the factory Hondas of Doohan and Okada, collecting thus the first in a long series of podium finishes.
 
1999 - THE FIRST VICTORY WITH CAPIREX
In 1999 the team debuted in the 250cc class with a factory Honda NSR for Loris Capirossi, former teammate of Fausto Gresini when he was racing in 125cc. Capirex claims the first victory of the team in the Malaysian Grand Prix, and finished the season in third place.
 
2001 - KATO RECORDMAN IN 250cc
2001 is the perfect season of Daijiro Kato: riding his Honda the little Japanese star breaks all records in the 250cc class, winning 11 of the 16 Grand Prix races on the calendar, clinching Gresini Racing’s first World Title.
 
2002 - RIGHT AT THE TOP WITH THE NEW HONDA RC211V
Gresini Racing team is back in the premier class with rising star Kato: from the Czech Republic GP, Honda gives the new, five-cylinder four-stroke RC211V jewel to the Japanese rider and Daijiro is immediately at the top, climbing the second step of the podium.

    
2003 - GIBERNAU IN THE NAME OF KATO
In the opening round of the season at Suzuka, the star of Daijiro Kato turns off forever: through a great difficulty time, the team and Sete Gibernau find the strength to continue to fight, dedicating him four wins and finishing the year second in the Championship.
 
2004 - SETE CHALLENGES VALENTINO
Four wins, eight podium finishes and six pole positions: Gresini Racing confirms itself at the top of the MotoGP and Sete Gibernau, who stars in memorable battles with Valentino Rossi, is once again runner-up in the World Championship.
 
2004 - A ONE-TWO TO ENTER THE ÉLITE
Sete Gibernau first, Colin Edwards second: in the 2004 Grand Prix of Qatar, the Gresini Racing team puts their two bikes in front of everyone, thus entering the restricted élite of teams that can boast a one-two in the premier class.

2005 - ITALY WINNING WITH MARCO MELANDRI
Another dream of Fausto Gresini comes true: to bring at the top of MotoGP an Italian rider. With two wins and seven podium finishes, Marco Melandri surprises everyone closing the season as runner-up in the World Championship.
 
2006 - STILL THE BEST AMONG THE SATELLITE TEAMS
In 2006 come four more victories in MotoGP, three with Marco Melandri and one with Toni Elias in a spectacular Portuguese GP at Estoril, won in a sprint finish on Valentino Rossi. Fausto Gresini’s team is therefore once again the best satellite team in a category which has become increasingly competitive.
    
2007 - THE LAGUNA MONSTER
2007 is not an easy season, but Marco Melandri, fifth at end of the year, is still protagonist of memorable races: on the strip of asphalt that winds around the famous “Corkscrew” at Laguna Seca, the Italian takes a sensational podium despite a sore ankle after a big crash in Qualifying.
 
2008 - THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN CARLO
San Carlo joins the team in 2008: a long partnership that will accompany the team in MotoGP for five years, until 2012. In 2009, Toni Elias and Alex De Angelis get two consecutive podiums, at Brno and Indianapolis, closing the season in seventh and eighth position in the standings, respectively.
 
2010 - THE SEVEN WONDERS OF ELIAS
Seven wins, four of which consecutive, give to the Gresini Racing team and Toni Elias the first World Title in Moto2, the new four-stroke intermediate class. An overwhelming supremacy for the Spanish, who is crowned champion with three races to go.
 
2011 - SIC, A GREAT FAIRY TALE
2011 is the season which consecrates Marco Simoncelli among the MotoGP top riders: a wonderful story started in Barcelona with a stunning pole position in Spaniards’ home race, continued with the two podium finishes at Brno and Phillip Island and unfortunately interrupted on that very sad 23 October in Sepang.
 
2011 - THE TRIUMPH OF PIRRO IN THE NAME OF SIMONCELLI
In the race after the terrible Malaysian GP, at Valencia, Michele Pirro gets a thrilling victory in Moto2. A very touching moment for the entire team, racing in the memory of SIC.
    
2012 - TRIPLE COMMITMENT
In the newly formed Moto3 category, Fausto Gresini recognizes the ideal ground for a project aimed at the promotion of young Italian talents. The commitment in the smaller displacement, which is added to those in the Moto2 and MotoGP classes, starts with a Honda entrusted to the young Niccolò Antonelli.
 
2012/2013/2014 - THREE GREAT SEASONS WITH BAUTISTA
In the three seasons 2012, 2013 and 2014 Alvaro Bautista is one of the undisputed protagonists of the premier class, with 28 placements in the top six in total, including three podiums. The Gresini Racing team is also racing in the CRT class, then “Open”: in 2014 rookie Scott Redding is the best among the riders aboard the Honda RCV1000R machine.
 
2015 - THE NEW ADVENTURE WITH APRILIA
After 18 years with Honda, the 2015 season marks the beginning of a new exciting chapter in the history of Gresini Racing: the Piaggio Group chooses the team manager by Fausto Gresini to return to MotoGP with his glorious brand Aprilia. A great reward for the work done since 1997.
 
2015 - GRAND SLAM
By winning the Grand Prix of San Marino and Riviera di Rimini with Enea Bastianini, Gresini Racing become the only team to have won at least one Grand Prix in all the three classes - Moto3, Moto2, MotoGP - in the new four-stroke MotoGP era. A real “grand slam” that no other team can boast.
 
2016 - FIVE YEARS WITH FEDERAL OIL
The intermediate class of the World Championship has always given great satisfaction to Gresini Racing, with two World Titles in 2001 and 2010. Since 2012, Gresini Racing in Moto2 stands for Federal Oil, a major Indonesian partner that in 2016 reached five years of collaboration. And it’s not over…
    
 
SPORTS RESULTS
2 World Titles
20 Seasons
43 GP Wins
136 Podiums
41 Pole Positions
547 Grand Prix Starts
6489 World Championship Points
40 Riders
APRILIA IN THE POINTS WITH STEFAN BRADL

APRILIA IN THE POINTS WITH STEFAN BRADL

22/08/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19109735
 
 
Brno, 21 August 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
APRILIA IN THE POINTS WITH STEFAN BRADL
DIFFICULT CONDITIONS FOR THE BRNO MOTOGP RACE

The weather had a strong impact on race Sunday at Brno. The heavy rainfall in the morning stopped a few minutes before the MotoGP start, forcing the riders to start in rain configuration, but with the possibility of a bike change during the race. There actually was an improvement in conditions, but the track maintained characteristics to allow the riders, albeit with some difficulty, to finish the race with rain tyres.

After the warmup, the sensations in the Aprilia camp were good, as Alvaro Bautista's eleventh best time and Stefan Bradl's good pace demonstrated. With the track drying out and intermediate conditions, however, the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders were unable to find the right feeling. This was a situation that, with a first-season bike like the RS-GP, is to be expected when conditions are particularly unpredictable.

In any case, Stefan Bradl was back in the points at the chequered flag, thanks to his 14th place finish, whereas Alvaro Bautista (who also made a pit stop to change bikes, going back out with intermediate tyres), had to settle for sixteenth place.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"Something in the race evidently didn't go right. We need to analyse the data now to take a deeper look at the problem, but my first impression is that our setup was unable to adapt to the evolving track conditions. Compared to the warmup, where we did well, the lower quantity of water on the track probably reduced grip, making us struggle harder. We need Sundays like this one to collect data and increase our experience. For similar situations in the future, we will certainly not be unprepared".
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"This was not an easy race for us. We had hoped to express ourselves better in the wet, but instead we encountered some difficulties. In any case, a demanding Sunday like this one does not stop our work. In a few days we will already be on the track again at Misano for two important days of testing in order to continue developing the RS-GP. We must not give up, but to the contrary, we must increase our efforts. Our potential is definitely not what was seen in the last two races".
ALVARO BAUTISTA
"The track conditions were really tricky today. This morning during warmup in the wet, the feeling was not bad, but in the race I struggled a lot, especially in braking. I always had the feeling I was losing the front, so I wasn't able to push, whereas coming out of corners I was losing a lot more than my rivals were. Nine laps from the end I made a pit stop to change bikes, but even with the intermediate tyres we were unable to improve our position. Now we need to leave this race behind us and focus on improving the RS-GP, getting back to our level in the next round at Silverstone".
STEFAN BRADL
"Today we did not make any mistakes at the start and we finished the race, so we were not lacking in concentration. In any case, I am not satisfied with the way things went. In the first laps I had a good pace, managing to stay with the group, but then, when the asphalt began to dry out, our electronics setting did not work as well as it could have. The traction control limited me very much coming out of corners. It was a feeling I had in the warmup as well and we made some changes to try and improve it, but evidently it wasn't enough".

   
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APRILIA HIGHLY MOTIVATED AT BRNO

APRILIA HIGHLY MOTIVATED AT BRNO

18/08/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19054531
 
 
 
Brno, 17 August 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
APRILIA HIGHLY MOTIVATED AT BRNO

ON THE CZECH TRACK BAUTISTA AND BRADL ARE READY TO CONFIRM THE PROGRESS MADE BY THE RS-GP

Just a few days after the Austrian GP, MotoGP is back on the track at Brno, the historic Czech Republic circuit. It is a race with high expectations for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini following the progress demonstrated at the Red Bull Ring in terms of technical growth for the fledgling RS-GP.

Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl, who both had their race in Austria compromised by a double ride through because of jump starts, showed absolutely respectable times during the race in terms of pace. On a track like Brno, theoretically more suited to the qualities of the Aprilia technical package than the Austrian track, all the conditions are there to aim for a good result.

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“Brno is a track where we were able to bring home points last year with both riders. On paper, it seems to suit our bike well. We are coming from a weekend where tangible progress was seen. In the Czech Republic, we'll aim to confirm that progress by maximizing the result. Specifically, we will be working with qualifying in mind, a situation where we still have some limitations. We are looking good in terms of race pace, whereas in qualifying our rivals manage to improve their performance by about a half a second. By not succeeding in being incisive on the flying lap, we are often forced to start from behind and that makes managing the race much more complicated. In particular we will be working on the rear settings, looking for more grip that will allow us to exploit the performance of the qualifying tyre”.
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
“We are coming to Brno determined to bounce back. Despite the result, conditioned by the penalties assigned to both our riders for a jump start, at the Red Bull Ring we had excellent feedback on the competitiveness of the RS-GP. In fact, during the race, Alvaro made top-six lap times, demonstrating that a big step forward has been taken. The technical innovations Aprilia brought, including engine changes, proved to be effective and in the Czech Republic we would like to reap the benefits of this progress. We know that we can do well, so it will be important to stay focused and not make any mistakes”.
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“We are coming to Brno highly motivated. Despite the jump start problem and the display issue, in Austria performance throughout the weekend was positive, especially in terms of our race pace. The track is very different. There are no demanding braking sections like at the Red Bull Ring, but you need to make sure the bike flows well. Technically, you need a bike that is both easy to handle and that has good acceleration. The straights are not very long, but they are rather demanding in terms of power. I think that the advantages we found in Austria with the new engine will also help us in Brno. We will start off focused straight away from Friday, with the goal of finding a good pace and perhaps also improving performance in qualifying”.
STEFAN BRADL
“Having a race straight away after the Austrian round gives us the chance to bounce back immediately. The circuit definitely suits the RS-GP better than the Red Bull Ring, so our chances of showing our competitive we are increase straight away. Last year, in my second race with Aprilia, I made a good finish in the points after a positive weekend. We will need to stay focused and set our sights on the best possible result”.‬

   
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THE BEST RS-GP OF THE SEASON PENALIZED BY A DOUBLE RIDE THROUGH

THE BEST RS-GP OF THE SEASON PENALIZED BY A DOUBLE RIDE THROUGH

15/08/2016, International, Motorcycling, Moto GP, Article # 19013843
 
 
Red Bull Ring, 14 August 2016
PRESS RELEASE
 
THE BEST RS-GP OF THE SEASON PENALIZED BY A DOUBLE RIDE THROUGH

ROBERTO COLANINNO COMMENTS: “UNACCEPTABLE THAT HUMAN ERROR KEEPS US FROM SHOWING OUR VALUE. RESUME OUR TREND OF GROWTH STRAIGHT AWAY”

ROMANO ALBESIANO: “NOW THE ENTIRE TEAM IS CALLED ON TO PUT IN EXTRA EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WITHIN OUR POTENTIAL STRAIGHT AWAY”

The Austrian GP for Bautista and Bradl's Aprilias was decided when the lights went out.
Both penalized by an early start, Alvaro and Stefan had to do a ride through in the initial phases that compromised the outcome of the race. Incorrect communication on the RS-GP bikes' instrument panels also led the German rider to make another pit stop.

Based on performance in warm up and, especially based on the pace demonstrated after the ride through, the RS-GP machines had the potential to achieve the best performance of the season on the Red Bull Ring. Bautista, who lapped consistently with a top ten pace, finished sixteenth in the end, in any case on the threshold of the points zone, whereas Bradl was a bit farther back in nineteenth place. At the end of the race, Roberto Colaninno - Piaggio Group CEO and MD - made a statement.

ROBERTO COLANINNO - PIAGGIO GROUP MD AND CEO
Today Aprilia had everything needed to demonstrate the progress the RS-GP has made. From the first race of the season, the new bike has gradually improved and we cannot accept the fact that human error – whether having to do with technical management or how the race is conducted – keeps us from demonstrating our true value and achieving the results that Aprilia and this bike deserve. The MotoGP calendar gives us the opportunity to redeem ourselves straight away with the Brno race. I have complete confidence in Romano Albesiano and in the new bike, but we need to roll up our sleeves and continue working every day in order to be prepared for the next race and to resume that growth trend that we had shown up to now”.
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
I am the first to be furious with the outcome of today's race. Even on a circuit that does not favour us, we had the best RS-GP of the season prepared, a bike that has shown tangible improvement, both in terms of the engine and race pace, and the times are indisputable proof of this. If he had not had any problems, Alvaro would have easily finished in the top ten. We cannot accept that, after all this work, our potential is squandered because our riders are distracted at the start and because of trivial mistakes on our part in managing the messages on the dashboard. As professionals like Alvaro and Stefan, I expect concentration and maximum commitment until the end of the year, but I want to call the entire team to put in extra effort that will lead us to working nonstop, even over the August holiday, in order to prepare for the race at Brno. We have a chance to redeem ourselves straight away and we absolutely cannot fall short of achieving the results that are within our potential”.

   
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