Espargaro: New Aprilia MotoGP bike “different” to ride
Aleix Espargaro says the 2021 Aprilia RS-GP doesn’t look like a revolution but feels “quite different” to ride after topping the first day of the Qatar MotoGP pre-season test.


Aprilia and KTM are the only manufacturer’s allowed to start 2021 with totally new motorcycles, with the former unveiling its redesigned RS-GP on Thursday.
Espargaro and team-mate Lorenzo Savadori have already been testing the bike since last November, with Espargaro completing a further 57 laps on Saturday in Qatar on his way to the top of the timesheets with a 1m54.687s.
Read Also:
When asked by Motorsport.com to compare the 2020 and 2021 versions of the RS-GP, Espargaro explained: “Yes, the bike doesn’t look like a revolution but to ride it is quite different.
“Especially regarding the stability, we made a big step forward as the bike is a lot more stable and also the aerodynamic side they did a big, big job. The bike is completely different. In acceleration I feel that we made one improvement and the bike has a lot more downforce, so the bike is really physical, more than last season’s bike.
“It is more stable so that allows me to accelerate better which is more than welcome. We are paying a little bit on the top speed, so we still have to find the balance and we still have to understand the bike to see the strong points and the weak points.
“But the bike likes me quite a lot. It means we did a great job, as when we had one of the slowest bikes [on the straight] but we are P1 with a very, very fast lap time on the first day. So, now we have to understand how we can improve and find a good balance.”
Read Also:
Aprilia’s top speed deficit was eye-opening on Saturday, with Espargaro 15km/h slower through the speed trap than the fastest Ducati of Jack Miller.
Admitting the current Aprilia is slower on a straight than the 2020 bike, Espargaro feels the deficit is exacerbated somewhat by the bike’s aerodynamics – which is a trade-off all manufacturers have to consider in modern MotoGP now.
“Sometimes it’s not just the engine, it’s a little bit complicated by the new MotoGP era from four or five years ago with the aerodynamics,” he added. “Everything became more difficult. I have to say I’m accelerating better than ever, but the top speed clearly we have to improve.
“It’s very, very low. It’s lower than our top speed from last season, and we are losing 15km/h to the Ducati, so there is room to improve there. But as I say, the aerodynamics allow you to turn better or not, to accelerate more or less, and to make more or less top speed.
“So now we have to find the balance. Today I tried two different aerodynamic packages and we still have to understand, but obviously I would like to have better top speed.”
Related video

Aleix Espargaro tops first MotoGP test in Qatar for Aprilia
Rossi: First Petronas SRT MotoGP laps felt “strange”

Latest news
2022 MotoGP title fight now "very tight", says Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro believes the current MotoGP championship picture following the British Grand Prix has set up “a very, very tight” title battle.
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season is being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock in Austria for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip left him tumbling down the order from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former teammate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider.
Why Andrea Dovizioso is leaving MotoGP at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy.
Why Alex Rins feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Motorsport.com - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about.
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
OPINION: The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. This is why.
How in-form Quartararo is evoking Marquez in MotoGP 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success.
Why Marquez's surgery is about more than just chasing on-track success
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have