MotoGP: Massimo Rivola: “Trackhouse asked us for bikes similar to the official ones”
Massimo Rivola says Trackhouse Racing have asked for two bikes similar to the full factory Aprilia MotoGP bikes used by Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro.
Rivola was part of the official announcement on Sky earlier this week, as Trackhouse Racing took over the RNF Aprilia team for the 2024 MotoGP campaign.
The new Trackhouse Racing team will be keeping Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez, but what might change is the type of machinery they are on.
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The RS-GP will be the bike both rider ride, but Rivola admitted the American team are pushing to have factory bikes, which is something RNF did not have available to them.
Speaking to GPOne, Rivola said this about the new partnership: “We couldn’t miss an opportunity that was very stimulating on paper, both on a brand and on a market level, but also on a technical level because Trackhouse’s demandes are important in order to provide bikes as similar to the factory ones as possible.
“It’s great to have an American team in MotoGP and the fact it is with Aprilia is really cool.”
Rivola also spoke about the need for their to be a bigger MotoGP presence in America, whether that’s with a second grand prix in the States, or having a bigger American contingency in the sport.
Rivola said: “That’s how it’s going to have to be. The thing I told Dorna was that we’ll now need a second Grand Prix in the north of the United States.
“I know that work is being done to expand our growth in the USA. Formula 1 has a huge advantage because they can race in the city.
“We can’t and we have to find alternative ways. I think we have a unique show.
“We’ve had many American champions in the past and who knows in the future if we’ll have another one with Trackhouse and Aprilia.”
