A number of names have been linked to the RS-GP this season alongside Espargaro after Andrea Iannone was suspended for four years on a doping offense.
In addition to the MotoGP winners Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow, leading names from Moto2 in Marco Bezzecchi, Joe Roberts and Fabio Di Giannantonio were associated with Aprilia for 2021.
Valentino Rossi’s protégé Bezzecchi and Roberts turned down the offer to stay in Moto2, while Di Giannantonio already had a contract with Gresini in MotoGP for 2022 when it would cut ties with Aprilia.
Former World Superbike rider Lorenzo Savadori got the ride, but Aprilia is on the verge of welcoming its most distinguished rider in 2022 as Maverick Vinales will join the brand a year early after his Yamaha deal ends.
The Aprilia 2021 is the most powerful bike the brand has ever built in the modern MotoGP era, with Espargaro consistently finishing in the top six and not far from the podium.
Although Espargaro refuses to comment on the Vinales links, Espargaro says Aprilia “deserves” a top rider and believes the Moto2 riders who gave up the seat for 2021 have given up “a great opportunity”.
Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“I have often said that I feel very bad when Massimo told me that we won’t have two bikes on the track next year,” said Espargaro when asked if the Vinales links were good for Aprilia’s image.
“I was also very angry when some Moto2 riders said they didn’t want to join us.
“I love Aprilia, I love this project, it feels like mine and I want to prove to you that you were wrong.
“Those riders in Moto2 who didn’t want to come will not be happy in the future because they missed a great opportunity and I hope that my team-mate will be a very strong rider next year because we deserve it.” Because we work very hard because we are not far from the top brands in the world. “
Gresini Racing, which has been directing Aprilia’s entry into the factory since 2015, will be a Ducati satellite team next year and has signed Enea Bastianini to Di Giannantonio.
Bezzecchi will join Luca Marini on the VR46 squad in 2022, who will also use Ducati machines, while Roberts is linked to an Ajo KTM seat in Moto2.