The Sepang shakedown is still considered a private test by the MotoGP teams, who in the first three days designed above all to remove the “rust” accumulated over the winter always try to keep their cards as covered as possible, without showing too many new solutions to competition.
Even more so today, on the first day, in which the riders who can take advantage of the new concession system have not yet been seen in action, i.e. the official ones of Honda and Yamaha, with the two Japanese giants who only sent on track this morning test drivers Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl.
From tomorrow some “big guns” such as Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Luca Marini and Joan Mir should also start to get busy, but in the meantime the trip to Malaysia has been made a few days ahead of the collective tests next week had the opportunity to discover some news in view of the season that is about to begin.
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Stefan Bradl, Team HRC
Even the least attentive eyes were able to notice the new tail tested on the RC213V by Bradl. In fact, it is a solution that we could define as “hybrid” between the fins that we are used to seeing on the Ducati tail and the rear wing that the Japanese company had introduced in the November tests in Valencia, even if in this case it is of a significantly smaller aileron.
In this case, the fins, which however also have a horizontal profile unlike those of the Ducati (as can be seen in the photo above), seem to have been designed to try to convey the air flow towards the rear wing. It's no secret that rear grip has been one of Honda's weak points in recent years and evidently that's where HRC's aerodynamicists have started to step up their efforts.
Photo by: GPOne
Aprilia motorcycle
More curious, however, is the novelty seen on one of the Aprilia RS-GPs available to test rider Lorenzo Savadori, who was noticed by colleagues at GPOne.com, because the Noale company seems to be trying to take a path that had not yet been opened up to now. Just like he did with the step on the hull a year and a half ago now.
Also on the tail are two fins that recall those of vintage Cadillacs. However, these also have a very evident downward development, with two vertical bulkheads that cover practically the entire length of the tail. Furthermore, you can see how the men directed by Romano Albesiano are also carrying out other interesting tests, because a carbon profile is mounted on the swingarm which almost completely covers the rear wheel.
Photo by: GPOne
Aprilia motorcycle
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