Aprilia now the best bike? ‘They would say that!’
With three wins for Maverick Vinales in the last four MotoGP races, including a perfect double in the final stage at COTA, Aprilia is in impressive form. However, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola’s claims that the RS-GP is now the best bike on the grid have been met with skepticism by rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Pedro Acosta.
Ducati rider Bagnaia jokingly showed off his Rivola T-shirt, emblazoned with the Aprilia logo, suggesting the statement’s allegiance was natural, while rising rider Acosta compared the statement to promoting his team, GASGAS. Both drivers indicated that Rivola is simply supporting his team, which is expected of a CEO.
However, Bagnaia did not fail to recognize the Aprilia’s merits, noting that, in hindsight, the RS-GP seems to have found a good balance between grip and stability, despite not being the fastest on the straight. This improvement in Aprilia’s performance has been evident throughout the season, with Vinales leading the drivers’ championship amid impressive wins.
Despite Aprilia’s success, the statistics still show Ducati leading the constructors’ standings, followed by KTM, with Aprilia taking third place. This suggests that while the RS-GP may be competitive, there is still room for improvement and challenges to be faced in order to achieve the overall lead.
As the MotoGP season progresses, competition between teams and riders will continue to heat up, with each looking to stand out in motorcycling’s highest category. With the next race in Jerez approaching, eyes will be on whether Aprilia and Vinales will continue their impressive winning streak or if the competing teams will be able to overtake them.
Ultimately, the claims of which is the best bike on the grid can be seen as part of the competitive game in MotoGP, where each team defends its performance and seeks to maintain a competitive edge. However, only time will tell if Aprilia will continue its rise or if other teams will be able to challenge it for the title of best bike of the season.
