Aprilia Racing

Aprilia Racing is a motorcycle racing factory team of competing in the MotoGP World Championship owned by Aprilia, subsequently by the Piaggio Group.

History

Despite being a relatively small company by global motorcycling standards, Aprilia is very active in motorcycle sports. It contested many Road Racing formulae, including the now-defunct 125 cc, 250 cc and 500 cc Grand Prix classes of the FIM World Championship. From 2002 to 2004, they participated in the FIM MotoGP World Championship, and from 1999 to 2002, they participated in the FIM Superbike World Championship. Aprilia has returned to World Superbike since the 2009 season and in MotoGP since the 2012 season.

Aprilia also feature in the off-road racing world, with their 450 cc V-2 motocrosser producing respectable results (including race wins) in both off-road (Motocross) and on-road (Supermoto) categories.

Aprilia made their international racing debut in the Motocross World Championship competing in the 125cc class from 1976 until 1981 with a best result being a fifth place in the 1979 season with rider Corrado Maddi. The firm then focused on the Grand Prix road racing world championships in 1985 and since then it has seen varying successes. Aprilia won their first world championship race at the 1991 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix with rider Alessandro Gramigni winning the 125cc race. In , they won their first road racing world championship with Gramigni winning the 125cc class. They continued to be successful in the smaller displacement categories, winning numerous races and championships in the 125 cc and 250 cc Grand Prix classes.

However, their 500 cc Grand Prix bikes failed to attain the same success. They began campaigning in the 500cc class in 1994 with a 250 V twin motor enlarged to 380cc in hopes of using its lighter weight and nimble handling as an advantage against the heavier, V4 engine bikes used by the competition. The bike eventually displaced 430cc and had its best result with a third place by rider Doriano Romboni at the 1997 Dutch TT but, could never overcome power disadvantage during the starting line sprint and was withdrawn at the end of the season for further development. Their first MotoGP effort, dubbed the RS Cube, was technically advanced but difficult to ride and performed poorly in the championship. The Cube did, however, pioneer many advanced technologies including ride by wire throttle and pneumatic valve actuation systems. Aprilia left the MotoGP class at the end of and then left the lower classes when two-stroke engines were banned. Aprilia set the record for the most points earned by a manufacturer in a single season from the 125cc class with 410 points in . It was also the highest points earned by a constructor in Grand Prix motorcycle racing's history until when 420 points were won by the same bikes winning 16 out of 17 races.

The company is also notable for choosing atypical engine configurations. For example, they progressed with development of a V-2 500 cc Grand Prix bike when other teams were moving to V-4 configurations for what some believed was better and more usable power outputs. Aprilia continued this trend, taking advantage of lighter minimum weights with the introduction of their RS Cube MotoGP bike – featuring three cylinders in an inline triple layout, the bike had the fewest cylinders on the Grand Prix paddock.

Aprilia rejoined the MotoGP class in , taking advantage of the newly introduced ''Claiming Rule Team'' category that encouraged independent teams with lower budgets to use bikes from manufacturers not officially involved in MotoGP. Aprilia supplied RSV4 SBK-derived bikes under the ''ART'' (Aprilia Racing Technology) name to Aspar Team, Paul Bird Motorsport and Speed Master teams. In both the and seasons Aprilia's ART machinery stood out as the best CRT bikes.

In , Aprilia partnered with Gresini Racing as a factory-supported independent team. The team competed as the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini with an all-new 1000cc V4-engined RS-GP.

In , Aprilia entered the series as an official factory team for the first time since 2004. Their previously supported Gresini Racing team returned to a fully-independent team using Ducati bikes. Aprilia's factory team is named Aprilia Racing.

MotoGP

Aprilia entered the Grand Prix road racing world championships in 1985 and since then it has seen varying successes.

On 15 August 2010, Aprilia became the most successful motorcycle racing brand in history, surpassing fellow Italian MV Agusta with a record 276th victory.

Early times

500 cc class

Aprilia began campaigning in the 500cc class in 1994 with a 250 V twin motor enlarged to 380cc in hopes of using its lighter weight and nimble handling as an advantage against the heavier, V4 engine bikes used by the competition.

The bike eventually displaced 430cc and had its best result with a third place by rider Doriano Romboni at the 1997 Dutch TT but, could never overcome power disadvantage during the starting line sprint and was withdrawn at the end of the season for further development.

As MotoGP

Many world champions started on Aprilia such as Biaggi, Capirossi, Gramigni, Locatelli, Sakata and Rossi.

First venture

While having a technically advanced bike, Aprilia performed poorly in the championship in their first MotoGP effort.

They left the MotoGP class at the end of and then left the lower classes when two-stroke engines were banned.

Second try

Aprilia rejoined the MotoGP class in in the ''Claiming Rule Team'' category.

In , Aprilia entered the series as an official factory team as "Aprilia Racing" for the first time since 2004.

In , defending riders' champion Jorge Martín signed for the factory team from Pramac Racing replacing the retiring Aleix Espargaró.

Results

By rider

By season

( key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Season still in progress.

Other GP classes

Aprilia has been successful in the smaller displacement categories, winning numerous races and championships in the 125 cc and 250 cc Grand Prix classes.

History

Aprilia won their first world championship race at the 1991 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix with rider Alessandro Gramigni winning the 125cc race.

In , they won their first road racing world championship with Gramigni winning the 125cc class.

Aprilia set the record for the most points earned by a manufacturer in a single season from the 125cc class with 410 points in .

It was also the highest points earned by a constructor in Grand Prix motorcycle racing's history until when 420 points were won by the same bikes winning 16 out of 17 races.

Honours

Riders' championships

Manufacturers' championships

Superbike World Championship (SBK)

In 1999, Aprilia entered the World Superbike Championship with a homologated special version of the RSV Mille.

They were third in the riders' championship in 2000 with rider Troy Corser, and third in manufacturers' points and fourth in rider points both in 2001 with Corser and in 2002 with Noriyuki Haga. Aprilia retired from the series at the end of that season.

In February 2008, Aprilia debuted a V-4 superbike, the RSV4, for the 2009 Superbike World Championship.


Aprilia won its first Superbike world championship in 2010 with Max Biaggi, claiming both the riders and the manufacturers titles.

Riders' championships

Manufacturers' championships

* 2010
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014

Other commitments

Aprilia also feature in the off-road racing world, with their 450 cc V-2 motocrosser producing respectable results, including race wins, in both Motocross and Supermoto categories.

Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing European Championship

Aprilia has also participated in the european championships of various classes having won multiple championships across 250cc and 125cc classes.

1981–1989

1990–2007

2008–2013

Superstock 1000

Aprilia has also raced in the Fim Superstock 1000 having won the championship in 2015 with Lorenzo Savadori.

Motocross

Aprilia made their international racing debut in the Motocross World Championship competing in the 125cc class from 1976 until 1981 with a best result being a fifth place in the 1979 season with rider Corrado Maddi.

With Aprilia, Ivan Alborghetti won the Italian 125 and 250 cc motocross championships in 1977.

Trial World Championship

Aprilia previously participated in the FIM Trials World Championship.

On August 30, 1987, at San Marino Grand Prix in Misano, Loris Reggiani won the first World Speed Championship with an AF1.

In 1992, Tommy Ahvala won the World Trials Championship on an Aprilia Climber.

SuperMoto World Championship

Aprilia debuted in the FIM Supermoto World Championship in 2004 and since then it has won many titles in both S1 and S2 classes.

Riders' championships

Manufacturers' championships

CIV

Aprilia has also participated in the CIV championship having won championships since 1991.

Innovations

Aprilia is notable for choosing atypical engine configurations for their racing bikes.

For example, they progressed with development of a V-2 500 cc Grand Prix bike when other teams were moving to V-4 configurations for what some believed was better and more usable power outputs.

Aprilia continued this trend, taking advantage of lighter minimum weights with the introduction of their RS Cube MotoGP bike which features three cylinders in an inline triple layout, the bike had the fewest cylinders on the Grand Prix paddock.

It also pioneered many advanced technologies including ride by wire throttle and pneumatic valve actuation systems.

Partnerships

As "Aprilia Racing Technology"

From 2012 to 2014 Aprilia supplied SBK-derived RSV4 bikes to Aspar Team, Paul Bird Motorsport and Speed Master.

As "Aprilia"

From to 2021, Aprilia partnered with Gresini Racing as a factory-supported independent team.

Since 2024, Trackhouse Racing has been Aprilia's satelite team.

References

External links

{{Aprilia Racing

Motorcycle racing teams
Motorsport in Italy