Aprilia test traction control for possible MotoGP return

Traction control has been one of the focal points of premier class competition in recent years, and now Aprilia are getting in on the act with their 250cc machines. Testing of a new system by veteran riders Alex Debon and Roberto Locatelli is already underway, and could be a stepping stone to development of a possible MotoGP Aprilia bike in the future.

Gigi Dall´Igna from Aprilia explained the current usage of the quarter litre traction control from the Le Mans paddock, where both Debon and Locatelli are currently putting the prototype through its paces.

`We are using traction control with Alex Debon and Roberto Locatelli only in practice, as we don´t want to take risks on safety in the race,´ said the Italian. `We tested with Roberto at Estoril, and most recently with Alex in Shanghai. We are trying it with this bike because it the machine with which we feel most comfortable, but we are using it also to help the Superbike and possible MotoGP bike development.´

Aprilia´s 1000cc machine has recently been tested by ex-MotoGP rider Alex Hofmann, with a view to entering production championship competition in 2009. As for any MotoGP bike seeing the light of day, Dall´Igna is refusing to mark a timeline.

`I can´t say whether it will be definitely in 2010 or 2011, but we are looking at developing a MotoGP machine,´ he confirmed.