2018 Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP

This is the 2018 Aprilia RS-GP which will be raced this season by Aleix Espagaro, and joining him is Scott Redding.

The new machine is once again designed with the Italian spirit by none other than Aldo Drudi of Drudi Performance and he is also responsible for the all-Italian colour scheme on these new bikes.

The new RS-GP’s latest evolution consists of a new aluminum frame made by Aprilia Racing, along with a new carbon fiber swingarm. The airbox and exhaust are also new, helping the narrow-angle V4 engine to breathe better on the race track.

This helps Aprilia to claim over 270hp from the four-cylinder motor, which has a counter-rotating crankshaft and pneumatic valves.

A new aerodynamics package, which is hard to miss, but more subtlety the front suspension has also been modified, and uses Öhlins TSB46 forks (the rear shock is an Öhlins TRSP44).

According to Espargaro, “Last year we rode some very good races and only a few mistakes compromised our final position in the standings. I have great confidence for 2018. The team has worked well and the new RS-GP is growing in the right direction. All of our rivals have improved a lot. MotoGP is a top-level championship, but I am certain that we will be close to the top. I am a positive person. I prepared well for this new season and I believe in the direction we are going.”

Redding has some good things to say about his new team and direction for 2018. As stated by Redding, “This is my first year as a factory rider and I must say that I have had very positive sensations so far. Having a team behind me that supports me and works with me to improve the bike gives me great motivation. We have managed to improve consistently with every outing, also experimenting with some solutions that were a gamble, but always with specific goals.”