Further development of RS-GP at Jerez Test

Posted on May 06, 2019 by Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

It was an important day of testing today on the Spanish Jerez de la Frontera circuit, with all the MotoGP riders on the track. Two Aprilias were kept busy, Aleix Espargaró’s factory bike and the test team’s bike with Bradley Smith, whereas Andrea Iannone attempted to get back in the saddle but had to throw in the towel because of the pain.

It was a highly intense schedule for Bradley Smith as well, turning 82 laps, the fastest of which in 1'38.077. The Aprilia test team’s operations focused on new components, different setups and the assessment of a few Michelin tyre solutions.

Bradley Smith:
"It was a rather busy day. We worked on three fronts: the hard front tyre, which we confirmed as the right choice for our bike on this track, weight distribution and some components we needed to evaluate in terms of performance and reliability. Since I got close to Andrea’s and Aleix’s performance, the feeling is that I can contribute to overcoming the limits that the factory riders are highlighting. It is not an easy process. It takes time, but we have a structure capable of doing it. I think that in the coming months we’ll be able to make some targeted changes in our weaker areas."