Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola reveals that the team’s downturn in form is due to a “performance management issue related to tyre wear.”
Its most recent outing at Silverstone saw Aleix Espargaro snatch pole position off the factory Ducati duo of Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini.
But tyre wear played a pivotal role in both Saturday and Sunday races, with Espargaro dropping down to third and sixth in both races.
His team-mate Maverick Vinales qualified eighth, with the fellow Spaniard finishing eighth in the Sprint and 13th in the main race.
Rivola says the Italian marque needs to delve deeper into understanding the Michelin tyres on race weekends.
“Since we have been back in Europe, an Aprilia on the front row is often there. It defends itself quite well in the sprint, but in the long race, from the middle onwards we are not competitive enough,” he told Sky Sport Italy.
“There is a performance management issue related to tyre wear. We definitely need to focus on that, maybe even in the planning of the weekend, even at the risk of going through Q1 sometimes.
“We probably need more information as early as Friday. As we put the bike on the track we are immediately quick, but we tend to stall mainly on the tyre issue. I think there is more of a set-up theme, mechanical and electronic.
“And the format of how we manage the weekend. Maybe trying to take the tyre further in wear, look for those things that make a difference.”
With Aprilia struggling with its tyre wear issues, its biggest rival, Ducati, has established the best bike that successfully nurtures the tyres on race weekends.
Aprilia rider Vinales vocally shared that he believes the team has made a step backwards, which is a statement that comes after his disappointing outing at Silverstone.
Rivola drew up comparisons to Espargaro’s win at Silverstone only 12 months prior but was first to heap praise on rivals Ducati for finding solutions for any of its tyre-wear woes.
“If we go and see, at Silverstone we were 40 seconds faster than last year, which is an eternity, but we took 10 seconds from first [place],” he said.
“Then it is true that we are 2.5s from Pecco [Bagnaia of Ducati], but this is a track where Aprilia has always gone fast. We’ve only shown that in terms of overall performance.
“We’re doing something wrong. Or rather, Ducati is doing something particularly well, especially since we got back to racing on European tracks. I know they used a test at Barcelona, which is a track with little grip, to make a leap forward. They did well.”
