MotoGP Valencia: a disappointing season finale for the Aprilia riders

The Valencia weekend rounded out what has been a long 2021 season, one that has been largely positive for Aprilia (competing with team Gresini for the last time before it becomes a factory team next year). The manufacturer has often finished inside the top ten, demonstrating continuous growth and scoring a first podium.

At the Ricardo Tormo track, Aleix Espargaró powered the RS-GP to a ninth-place finish after a solid race in which he only suffered a drop in performance in the final stages, while Maverick Viñales, sixteenth, used the weekend to continue his learning with the Italian bike, ahead of a 2022 season in which he’ll be aiming high.

Aleix: "My best season with Aprilia"

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Despite his ninth-place finish falling below expectations, Espargaró sees the glass half full: "At the beginning, when the tyre had grip, I felt good and made up quite a few positions. However, doing that took its toll on the tyres and they paid the price in the finale. The RS-GP gets harder to ride with low trip, so in the end I had to settle for a result which still gives me a good season finish. This is my best season with Aprilia. We finished ahead of riders who are extremely worthy adversaries and we know that we can do even better. This is our mindset as we prepare for 2022."

Viñales: "I’m finding the right feeling"

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Having only climbed aboard the Aprilia for the first time a few months ago, Maverick has used this final part of the championship to get to grips with the bike, so different from the Yamaha he was used to: "I'm able to be fast with Aprilia, doing good lap times, but I'm lacking the right feeling to be consistent throughout an entire weekend. We still achieved our goal, which was to get ready for 2022, identifying the areas we need to work on”.

“We have an extremely clear idea as to what they are and that is what I'm most pleased about, because during the winter, the engineers will be able to use this data and the experience accumulated to make the new RS-GP more suited to my needs", concludes the Spanish rider.

Translated by Heather Watson

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