Aprilia has become the final current manufacturer competing in MotoGP to pledge its continuation in the series until 2026, confirming all six marque’s will be present for a further five seasons.
The confirmation from the Noale-based organisation has been expected for some time following its announcement in December that it would be splitting with current partner team Gresini Racing to take its premier class programme in house from ’22 onwards.
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said that while his outfit would need to get its head around managing “many additional responsibilities” that come with a full in-house operation as opposed to outsourcing the running of the project, the change would open up “new and hopefully great opportunities” for Aprilia going forward.
“I am obviously happy about this agreement,” said Rivola.
“From next season, we will be participating in an official capacity as a manufacturer. This opens up new and hopefully great opportunities and we will need to manage many additional responsibilities.
“It is a natural step that we are taking just as we are beginning to see the first positive signs from the hard work we’ve done in Noale, first and foremost on our structure, and consequently on our beautiful RS-GP bikes.”
Rivola added a small tribute to the Gresini Racing team that has made the Aprilia programme tick for the past seven campaigns, a squad that recently lost its founder and leader Fausto Gresini, the Italian expressing his “gratitude” for the work carried out by the outfit across the partnership between the two parties.
“At this time, our thoughts and gratitude go to Gresini Racing, who have accompanied us in these years.
“In heartfelt memory of Fausto, I wish the team and all its staff the best success for the coming seasons.”
Aprilia has struggled to make headway towards the front of the MotoGP field since it returned to the championship for the ’15 campaign, with long-standing rider Aleix Espargaro having achieved its best race result of sixth on three occasions, most recently at the Portuguese Grand Prix two weeks ago.
It has made good progress with the most recent evolution of its RS-GP challenger that it debuted for the ’20 season, with Espargaro in particular displaying strong form across the opening few races of the ’21 term as he sits sixth in the riders points heading to the fourth round of the year at Jerez.
