Aprilia is the big surprise in the 2022 MotoGP season: After eleven of 20 races, the manufacturer from Noale, Italy, is leading the team classification in the premier class, and Aleix Espargaro’s world championship chances are still intact.
The Spaniard has particularly impressed with his consistency this season. In the last seven races he has always finished in the top 5. And at the home round in Barcelona it could have been second place instead of P5 had it not been for the fatal error when Espargaro finished the race one lap early.
The fact that Espargaro is competitive on almost every track with his Aprilia RS-GP and fights for podium places does not surprise his fellow MotoGP driver Johann Zarco. “They’re the best on average everywhere,” explains the Pramac Ducati pilot.
Johann Zarco: On average, Aprilia is the best everywhere
This makes it clear that in 2022 Aprilia managed to strike an excellent compromise between the agility of the Yamaha M1 with its four-cylinder in-line cylinder and the great performance potential of a V4 engine like that of Ducati.
“When it comes to driving, it’s probably the turning at Aleix that’s the best,” analyzes Zarco. “If he leans the bike, he turns very quickly at the apex. And that makes the difference,” continued the Frenchman.
Aprilia has managed to become competitive over the years with a series of revolutions in the RS-GP. In the meantime, even after a restructuring in the team, you are one of the technical pioneers in the premier class. The best example of this is the rear spoiler that was attached to the hump of the RS-GP in Mugello.
However, the great progress also has its downsides: Since Espargaro’s third place in Jerez, it has been clear that with Aprilia, the last manufacturer is also losing its concession advantages. Previously, the Italians enjoyed fewer restrictions compared to the competition, for example in terms of engine development and test time.