Bautista: “You need a lot of engine”

More work to do for Alvaro Bautista and Aprilia after their first run in Austria.

The Red Bull Ring – Spielberg is all about hard braking and fast acceleration, the ten corners of the Austrian track forcing the brakes and the engines to push to their limits. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was the only official Aprilia rider on track as his teammate was missing due to a concussion from the German GP. During his time on track Bautista tested new front winglets and a lighter version of the RS-GP swingarm, which had been debuted in Germany. He completed 166 laps across the two days but did not post a time as Aprilia chose not to run transponders.

Alvaro Bautista: “On this new track you need a lot of engine and a stable bike in braking and acceleration. We worked with these goals, finding some interesting solutions in terms of the race. We still need to do some more testing on the lighter swingarm though. I'm still not certain that it provides an advantage. I should also point out that this is a rather particular track, so it is quite difficult to make comparisons. In terms of safety, on the other hand, I think there are a few spots with very little space and close to the walls. Before the race it would be good to think about a few solutions, especially given the high speeds.”