MotoGP rider Aleix Espargaro has warned the progress from Aprilia’s very interesting 2020 prototype chassis are not as big as he wants after testing it at Valencia and Jerez.
Espargaro was the slowest Aprilia rider in Valencia in 17th place, and he was 12th on the final day tests at Jerez. And the Spaniard called for improvements to the bike’s engine in and he added that the new bike chassis has demonstrated different.
“The engine is different. The chassis is different, the electronics, the position of the rider. A small difference everywhere, but everywhere is different.” Espargaro said.
“This is also why the tests at Valencia and Jerez with this bike have no big meaning, because if the rider position changes on the new bike everything will change, the geometry, the setting, everything.
“We know where we want to go with the concept of the new bike but then we will see how good the engineers are at putting this into practice because it’s not easy. I can’t wait.” Espargaro added.
Malaysian track will once again host pre-season MotoGP test in early February next year. Espargaro is hoping he will receive the full version of the new engine with Aprilia.
“I don’t know if in Malaysia we will receive the full version of the new engine, but part of the engine is already very different,” Espargaro said.
“The plan is to receive at least one RS-GP 2020 for each rider in Malaysia in February and I can’t wait, the bike looks promising, very different.
“We’re trying the maximum and, if it’s possible, we’ll try the bike for a shakedown at an airport or whatever before we leave Europe. But we are in the limit with the time.
“Anyway, to have one bike each is already good. I don’t need two bikes for the first test, I think to do back-to-back tests with the old bike at the first test is quite good. It’s also interesting.
“Obviously to have three bikes one 2019, two 2020 would be the best thing because then you can try the old bike the first day and after that the new bikes.” he added.
