Espargaro: Aprilia needs to improve MotoGP engine to fight at the front
Aprilia has debuted an updated version of the RS-GP in pre-season testing at Sepang, with a lot of work put in on introducing new aerodynamic devices on the bike. Espargaro finished a strong fifth on the final day of the test, and was the top non-Ducati rider on the timesheets as he set a lap that was only four tenths down on pacesetter Francesco Bagnaia. While admitting that the new bike is “definitely more competitive” than last year as well as more “stable” in corners, the 34-year-old singled out engine performance as one area where the Italian marque must improve in order to close the gap to the front. “I hope [they can improve it],” he said at the end of the Malaysia test. “We need torque in mid-range, definitely. After the change of gear we need a little bit more torque, a little bit more power. “The '24 bike is definitely much better than the '23 but our weakness is still the engine . If we want to fight with the bigs, we need to ra...