“It all happened in one night.” It might seem like the title of a book or a film but instead they are the statements of the CEO of Aprilia Racing Massimo Rivola in telling how the engagement of Jorge Martin. He told Sky Sport: “The night between Sunday and Monday we understood that there was this opportunity, I called Michele Colaninno and he gave me the ok to continue. I did it and we brought home one of the best talents on the grid.”. Aprilia he thus replaced Aleix Espargarò, who was about to retire: “Jorge was certainly one of the objectives, honestly almost unexpected. We didn’t think he could choose to come to us. When we saw that there was an intention, we didn’t waste time”.
Aleix Espargarò did his part
Precisely “the captain” may have had a decisive role behind this hiring, as Rivola explains: “Aleix certainly had an important role, they are brotherly friends and I like to think that a rider who has been with us for many years talks to a friend about a team in which he feels good, about a bike that is growing. He gave him a heartfelt suggestion and this makes me doubly happy”. Today we find Martin first in the championship and who knows if he will arrive in Aprilia with the number 1 on the front fairing: “Having him with the 1 would be nice, but it’s not the reason why we chose Jorge.”
Vinales is now Aprilia’s priority
Now the focus is on his teammate but Rivola has clear ideas: “The priority will be to understand what Maverick Vinales wants to do. For us it is a fixed point. Obviously we don’t want to force him to stay. Anyone who wants to stay here, I’m also talking about engineers and mechanics, must do so with a knife between their teeth. I hope this will be the case. If this is not the case we will certainly look at the market. If Bezzecchi will be on the market, why not?”
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