Nowadays, the MotoGP world is no longer paying attention to Portimao, where the third GP of the season will be held this weekend, but a few kilometers further east, where Andrea Dovizioso made his debut on the Aprilia on the Jerez de la Frontera circuit. In fact, the former Ducati rider tested for a few days on the RS-GP and was able to describe his impressions of the Noale Bike which gave the impression of improving significantly at the first two Grand Prix of the season in Qatar. On day 1, Dovizioso concentrated on ergonomics and looked for the right position on the Aprilia. Did he find it?
“If you change your bike after many years, The first is the position on the bike – this is the main thing and it takes time. It has to do with being comfortable on the bike, but you also need to know the best position for you and the bike. Every bike has different characteristics and we spent a lot of time on them. It’s impossible to fix these things in three days, especially when there was a lot of wind today and we couldn’t drive. In the next test I think Aprilia can make some changes to my positions and I’ll be very interested to see if I’m more comfortable ”.
So, Dovizioso and the Aprilia men have been very focused on their position on the bike During these three days in Jerez, you might neglect other aspects such as the search for fast lap times. At the time of Jorge Lorenzo in Ducati, the Spaniard had a hard time getting the right comfort on the Desmosedici. fought with various changes to the shape of the tank and more. So was Jorge really right to attach so much importance to the ergonomics of the bike?
“I think that the results Lorenzo had at the time weren’t so much tied to the changes he had made even if you have to be comfortable on the bike to push 100%. I talked to Crutchlow about it after he rode the Yamaha, he switched to the Honda, now he’s back on a Yamaha and needs some time to adjust. The most important aspects are two: feel comfortable with the bike after your levers (and when you are little you are limited to that) and then find the right position for the needs of the bike, that’s the next step “.
“I still feel like a rider, Pedrosa and Crutchlow think like a tester”
In these two days of testing Pedrosa and Crutchlow, well-known drivers and now test drivers for KTM and Yamaha, were also with you, but with other manufacturers. Did you talk to them Would you like to take on a similar role in the future?
“I still feel like a rider in my mentality, Dani has become a tester and while he can do some wild cards, his approach at the moment is like a tester. He’s great for this role because he always does everything with arguments and it can be very productive for his maker. Crutchlow is very funny, nice to find him in the paddock, but I saw him with a different mentality than before. If you change your mindset and start to become a tester, everything is different ”.
You said that At the next test, which will take place in Mugello, Aprilia will be able to make some changes to the bike. But what do you think of this RS-GP and what do you expect when looking for the limit?
“It’s too early to go into the details of the bike, like everyone else the Aprilia has strengths and weaknesses, but I have to say I felt good on the bike. Every rider wants to try every motorcycle in MotoGP just to get a feel and understand a little more than what you see on TV and on the track. To talk about lap times, I don’t think that’s so intelligent at the moment, because you have to go into certain details that cannot be fixed in just three days. Going to Mugello with Aprilia will be great ”.
“In 2022 I want to ride MotoGP, that’s my passion”
Speaking of the future, Did this test clarify your ideas about your return to MotoGP? Will there be an opportunity to do it with Aprilia maybe with wildcards or instead of another driver?
“My passion is still MotoGP, and I want to race next year. I think it was smart to be on the right track and I’m really glad Aprilia gave me the opportunity to do it the right way. “The opportunity to ride a MotoGP bike is always nice, and doing it in a professional way is what I want. I usually do everything I do in a clear way, in a good way. Well, I don’t want to just do something like that. Because of this, I didn’t choose some options last year, as you know, this is not my aim. I’m completely open, but what we have on the table at the moment is just the next test in Mugello with Aprilia, then we eat a steak together and talk about it. “
If you’ve driven the Aprilia today and watched Espargarò perform in Qatar, haven’t you regretted turning down some offers last year?
“In my opinion it was the right decision. Aleix has proven that the bike has potential. He is passionate about it and Aprilia works hard. You have made a good step, even if it is no longer enough to have a good base because everyone is close together in MotoGP. However, when you get on that bike, I noticed that I had made a big leap, but then of course you have to experience a race weekend. To be good at these levels you have to be part of a project to move forward quickly, there is no point making hasty decisions, it has never been my way of life.