APRILIA AND MELANDRI Looking For More Successful MotoGP Chapter

Aprilia returns to MotoGP after 10-year absence, Marco Melandri after six years away

After clinching both the riders' and constructors' titles in WSBK, Aprilia entered a new era in Valencia, making its official return to MotoGP after a ten-year absence. The new bike, which doesn't have a name yet, is basically an upgraded ART with pneumatic-valve actuation, revised intakes and factory electronics. In the first half of next season, it will also be equipped with a seamless gearbox.

Its official debut alongside the competition was not, however, easy. Alvaro Bautista posted the 18th best time, 1.837 seconds off the pace, while Marco Melandri was last, preceded also by rookie Jack Miller. Aprilia's path toward the podium, not to mention a victory, is undoubtedly impervious, but the Italian factory is not afraid to take on the challenge.

 “Aprilia didn't come to MotoGP just to participate,” rider Marco Melandri said. “There are high expectations, but I also need to be realistic about my goals. The Valencia tests only represent a shakedown, but I went home with plenty of data to better prepare next year's tests in Sepang.”

The disbandment of Aprilia's factory team in WSBK basically left Melandri, who repeatedly reiterated his goal to seize the world title in the production-based series, without a choice. However, the 32-year-old is not running thin on motivation. “I was offered a chance to develop an entirely new project, which is something I missed in my entire career,” he observed. “It's a fascinating challenge, with a competent racing department behind it. I've already faced difficult situations in the past, and I want to manage it better this time.

 I just want to take it day by day, as I've got nothing to lose. I don't expect to fight with Honda, Yamaha and Ducati right away.”

For someone used to ride with Pirelli tires, adapting to the radical performance of Bridgestones usually represents one of the biggest challenges, and Melandri makes no exception

. “I'll need to change my riding style, which isn't easy,” he observed. “After twenty years, I'll have to reset my limits. The rear tire is 'normal', but the front is much different from what I'm used to. I've had some problems in corner entry. 

I think a lot of it has to do with adapting to the different tires. With the Bridgestones, you have to brake harder and with more lean angle. Right now, I miss four or five degrees of inclination compared with Bautista.”

Melandri is rather used to adversity. In 2009, for example, he raced on a privateer Kawasaki after the factory team unexpectedly shut down, scoring a second place in France and finishing in tenth position, ahead of theoretically more competitive bikes. MotoGP has arguably changed quite a bit since then, but the Italian still has to fully evaluate his odds. “First, I still need to assess the real potential of the bike, which hasn't been easy given the adverse weather conditions,” he said. “We had some issues with electronics, which was expected, so we didn't try the pneumatic-valve actuation (at first). But I was pleased by the fact that the engine hasn't lost its torque at lower revs, which has been its trademark in WSBK, and also has a smooth delivery at higher regimes.”

Aprilia, as a factory bike with Open concessions, will be allowed to test much more “pure” factory teams. To this end, the name of Max Biaggi often surfaced as a potential candidate to iron out any major glitches and select basic materials, a standard task left that official riders are usually spared with. However, Melandri has a different opinion.

“I think the riders have to do that job, then you need someone to clock in the miles,” he stated. “I'm at Aprilia's disposal to this end.”

That is to say, Melandri's turf may need some yardwork, but he's keen to do it on his own. At the end of the month, the Aprilia Gresini team will be on track once again in Jerez, this time only with Ducati.

Posted in: Aprilia, MotoGP