Shortly after the German Round of WorldSBK, which saw a positive top seven finish for the Italian, Milwaukee Aprilia WorldSBK rider Lorenzo Savadori completed a two day test at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on the Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP ™ machine. In the saddle of the prototype for the first time, Savadori talked to WorldSBK.com about the experience.
How did the Misano test go?
Lorenzo Savadori: "Well, it was a unique and exciting experience."
What did you think after the first lap with the RS-GP?
LS32: "I thought it was a beautiful bike! It was complex, very powerful, and I thought there's a lot to discover. On the first lap I was excited; I was looking forward to getting on the bike. The first lap was something very beautiful, I was not fast because there were many new things, but it was very exciting; Then when I opened gas ... the engine pushes a lot and it's very, very nice."
How would you describe it?
LS32: "I use two contradictory adjectives: terrifying, because the engine is scary, the bike is very powerful, but at the same it wants a lot of delicacy to fl and elegance; You have to conduct it differently. That was my impression of the RS-GP."
It is a dream come true?
LS32: "Yes, trying MotoGP was something I wanted to do for a long time and it has been very nice. We must thank Romano Albesiano (Manager of Aprilia Racing) and Aprilia Racing for this opportunity. The factory knew my interest and my desire to try out the GP bike."
You ran with two bikes around Misano. What differences were there?
LS32: "The MotoGP machine is a bike that is very complex and advanced, which you cannot fully understand in two days of testing, it takes more time. The differences between the two bikes are many. In MotoGP the brakes are carbon and that changes the braking completely. The tyres are different and hard to understand, but I was fine anyway. There should be a real comparison, but there are many differences. You have to ride them very differently. The main differences are brakes, power and tyres. This to give an idea, but really there are many others."
What do you like most about the RS-GP?
LS32: "The braking, because I like to brake hard and the system of carbon brakes allows you to do this very well. And then, also the seamless changes."
What was more difficult for you?
LS32: "To understand the tyres. They are very different from the Pirelli and you have to make miles to capture their operation, and also to understand how that bike works with those tires. It is not something simple.
This year is the last year of your contract, and Albesiano has said that he does not want to lose you, what are your thoughts?
LS32: "I would like to continue with Aprilia, and we are working towards it."
What does it mean to work for Aprilia?
LS32: "I am very close to this company, all the titles I have won I have achieved with them and I feel very comfortable with the factory and with the people. It works very well. I've been linked to them since I was a kid; in fact, the bike I played with was from the Piaggio group!"