The 2017 MotoGP Championship is approaching the finale with the last European round before the intercontinental “triple-header”. The Ciudad del Motor de Aragón was one of the most recent circuits to be added to the calendar, but it has quickly proven to be a demanding and spectacular track thanks both to the layout of the track and the pronounced changes in slope. Completing the package is a straight that is almost one kilometre long.
From a technical point of view, particular care should go into preparing for the race in terms of tyre wear. In fact, the front tyre is especially stressed, forcing technicians and riders to “fine tune” the bike’s settings.
The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini is headed to Spain seeking redemption after the Misano weekend where, due to the double crash on the wet track, the race ended early for Espargaró and Lowes while they were both in top ten positions.
ALEIX ESPARGARO’
“Unfortunately, recently we haven’t battled for the positions we deserve and it’s a shame, given the great job that we are doing. We need a trouble-free weekend and Aragón could be the right chance.”
SAM LOWES
“Last year at Aragón I took my last World Championship win. I’m not going back with the same goal, but definitely with a positive outlook. With the exception of the result, Misano was a good race for me, but I want to show progress on a dry track too.”
ROMANO ALBESIANO – APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“We prepared for this race with a day of testing in Valencia which gave us some interesting indications in terms of setup. It may seem repetitive, but in Aragón we also have everything it takes to aim for a good result. The RS-GP is no longer a surprise, but we clearly need to substantiate our progress in the race.”
FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER
“On paper, the Spanish track is a very good fit for the characteristics of the Aprilia. The first positive aspect is that there shouldn’t be any rain this weekend, so that is one less variable to consider. Our goal is to collect points with both riders, a goal that we have missed in the last two races. We are well aware of our potential and our competitiveness. All that’s missing is the final step.”
