Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales believes that the disappointing performance at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone served as a wake-up call for the team. Both Vinales and his teammate Aleix Espargaro struggled during the race, with Vinales dropping to 13th due to heavy tire degradation, while Espargaro, who started from pole, finished sixth.
This was a surprising setback for Aprilia, considering the Silverstone circuit typically favors their RS-GP, as evidenced by Espargaro’s victory there the previous year. The team is now analyzing the race to understand the reasons behind their struggles and to find a solution.
Vinales highlighted that Aprilia still performs well in qualifying and sprint races on softer tires, as seen by Espargaro’s pole position at Silverstone. However, their performance in the main race is becoming increasingly concerning.
He pointed out that while Aprilia had been strong at the start of the season, the bike’s performance has become more complicated, particularly on race day. Vinales believes the team needs to understand why their competitiveness has dropped, as they had been consistently strong in earlier races.
Despite their struggles, Aprilia remains the only manufacturer to have beaten Ducati in 2024, thanks to Vinales’ victory in the US Grand Prix. However, Ducati has since widened the gap with its latest GP24 bike, making podium finishes a challenge for their competitors. Vinales hopes the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix will offer insights into their loss of form and help the team return to the front of the grid later in the season.
Espargaro echoed similar sentiments, expressing confusion over why Aprilia has been unable to convert strong qualifying performances into race results.
He noted that the team has made significant progress compared to last year but has been unable to keep pace with Ducati during races like Barcelona and Silverstone. Despite feeling fast and competitive, Espargaro was disappointed to finish so far behind after starting from pole.
The team has attributed some of the performance issues to the new Michelin tire specification introduced this season. While Ducati has been able to harness the potential of the new rear tire, Aprilia’s RS-GP has struggled with tire management, particularly on race day.
Espargaro acknowledged that while their bike is fast, it suffers from increased tire consumption during races, making it difficult to match Ducati’s performance. Both riders agree that finding a solution to these tire-related issues is key to regaining their competitive edge.
