Aprilia became the penultimate team to lift the covers of the livery it will campaign in 2024, the Italian manufacturer opting for a tweaked scheme for its RS-GPs.
The Noale-based marque unveiled its ’24 house colors in an online launch on Sunday from Qatar ahead of the final premier class pre-season test at the Lusail International Circuit next week. Race riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales were on hand to show their new weapons to the world.
While Aprilia’s 2024-specification RS-GP’s will remain predominantly black, the red flashes seen during 2023 have been reduced, with purple accents having been introduced alongside the remaining red areas. It has also elected to place the logos of its minor sponsors laterally instead of vertically like last season.
The Aprilia logo also features more red than last season, where the company’s branding was predominantly colored white.
The marque will be looking to build upon an up-and-down 2023 campaign, where the RS-GP sometimes showed formidable speed. Espargaro secured a pair of emphatic victories at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya and Silverstone respectively, while Vinales picked up a total of three runners-up results.
The machine generally struggled at venues with slower, less flowing layouts though, meaning it failed to consistently challenge pace-setters Ducati during the term. Espargaro ended the year classified sixth overall in the riders standings, the Spaniard just two points clear of Vinales. The RS-GP’s decent turn of speed ensured Aprilia ended up third in the constructors table, ahead of Yamaha and Honda.
The brand tested several radical aerodynamic upgrades during the recent Sepang test, including a ‘batmobile’ style device on the back of the bike to try and find more rear grip.
