Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1456050
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 9 MARCH 1, 2022 P131 Well, perhaps not completely unexpected. The Italian poor relation has gone well in tests before. The words "false dawn" have been heard. Something about this time feels different. To recap, Aleix Espargaro and new teammate Maverick Vinales were top on the first day at Sepang and stayed well in touch on day two and a week later at Mandalika. The engine is upgraded from last year's brand-new 90-de- gree V4, and according to top speed figures isn't lacking any- thing. At Sepang they were right up among the Ducatis through the trap, and Vinales third-fast- est at 207.1 mph, compared to Zarco's top Ducati at 208.4. The rest of the bike, all new, front to back, including the go-to-accessory, a carbon-fiber swingarm. As well as strong power and acceleration, the rid- ers raved about its agility. Aprilia joined MotoGP in 2015 with the very fast, very raucous but essentially ineffective three- cylinder Cube, then played devil's advocate by dominating the short-lived production-based CRT class between 2012 and 2014. In 2015 they introduced their RS-GP prototype, ridden by Alvaro Bautista. Now, for the first time since then, the Ital- ian marque looks like a serious contender. The threat is boosted by the addition to the team of Vinales, looking to reboot his career after the slow and embarrassing decline at Yamaha. Maverick is aiming to become the first rider in the new four-stroke era to win on three different makes. (Back in the 500 days, only Hailwood, Lawson and Mamola did it, and Capirossi on a 2T/4T overlap). KTM had more mixed test re- sults, casting around at Sepang, then with only Brad Binder shin- ing at Mandalika, and somewhat eclipsed by the end, dropped to ninth, although only half-a- second adrift. But he is a formi- dable racer, teammate Oliveira a proven race winner, and KTM a highly focused factory team with a proven ability to find real progress. Thus, there are three Euro- pean manufacturers lined up against three Japanese. And thanks to the dumbing down of tech regs leveling the competi- tion, they have a greater chance than ever of retaining the title that the engineering departments re- ally care about. Against them, a revived Honda has the best chance of regaining honors for Japan. With 25 past titles (against 16 for MV Agusta, 14 for Yamaha and seven for Suzuki), and after two poor seasons, they are poised to fight back. But Ducati has the best chance of upholding Europe's growing threat, simply by strength of numbers. Eight Desmosedici's dwarf all other marques, with Aprilia (and Su- zuki) only having two, the others a maximum of four. So as much as the bike, as much as the riders, it's the num- bers that make the difference. CN Between 1974 and 2020, with just one exception, the title was in a Japanese stranglehold. Yamaha had it for two years, Suzuki for seven, and then latterly Yamaha and Honda had control. Thus, there are three European manufacturers lined up against three Japanese. And thanks to the dumbing down of tech regs leveling the competition, they have a greater chance than ever of retaining the title that the engineering departments really care about.