Rivola reveals Aprilia MotoGP strategy specifically for Vinales in 2022

You could say Aprilia's 2021 season has increased compared to the previous year. This increase was obtained both from the acquisition of quantitative figures and other qualitative things such as motor performance. Apart from the difference in the number of races where the 2021 season series has 3 more races than the 2020 season, Aprilia's points acquisition in the 2021 season has more than doubled to 121 points compared to a total of 51 points in the previous 2020 season.

In general, the biggest points obtained by Aprilia in 2020 were 8 points when Aleix Espargaro finished P8 in the race finale of Portimao at that time. Meanwhile, at the end of the 2021 season, Aleix Espargaro managed to give Aprilia the first podium prize (16 points, P3) in the British Silverstone MotoGP series. Even so, in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Aprilia is still at the bottom of the manufacturing standings.

In 2022, Aprilia will return to only one team with the strength of two drivers Aleix Espargaro & Maverick Vinales. Yes, two drivers who certainly have had a lot of paddock Grand Prix past, will Aprilia get their first win in the 2022 season – the season in which they were reinstated as a factory team for the first time ? Would their position in the manufacturing standings be better?

"Yes, for sure [2021] is a good season compared to the past." so Massimo Rivola , CEO of Aprilia Racing gave his comments at the end of last season. "We really want to be competitive for 2022. First of all, we will be a "factory team" in the MotoGP championship. But if we both look at our progress from 19, 20, 21 . . . hopefully 22 will keep that development going and hopefully we can close the [performance] gap with the leading ones. But still we are behind, so there is still a long way to go.”

In particular, Rivola told what strategy Aprilia racing has and will do to Maverick Vinales, who has been tasting the Aprilia RSGP for several months in preparation for the 2022 season. “ The approach we took with Maverick was to do the races as a test , so try different parts and setup configurations to understand what works better for him.”

After explaining his strategy, Rivola added that the strategy was not without risk, “ It must have sacrificed the results of the race itself , and a bit of self-confidence, which is a little more difficult to build. But I believe we have super talent at Maverick and I'm sure we will find a way to match our resources with his."