MotoGP Launch Season: Aspar Presents MotoGP CRT Team in Valencia

By David Emmett | Wed, 21/03/2012 - 11:43

With the final IRTA test just a couple of days away, teams are seizing the opportunity to stage their team launches for the 2012 season. On Tuesday night it was the turn of the Power Electronics Aspar team to present their bike and riders to the press, not at  Jerez, where a large portion of the world's motorcycling press is already assembled, but in Valencia, home to Aspar owner Jorge Martinez and the heart of his power base.

Much is expected of the Aspar team. Randy de Puniet has been consistently fast on the Aprilia ART, though without the factory prototypes at the separate CRT tests, it is hard to judge just exactly how competitive the bikes will be. Going by the times set so far, De Puniet should be capable of troubling the satellite bikes, at least the Ducatis of Karel Abraham and Hector Barbera, as well as the Honda of Stefan Bradl. Aleix Espargaro makes a return to MotoGP after a reasonable year in Moto2, but having already had experience on a MotoGP with Pramac Ducati in 2010 should help get the Spaniard up to speed.

The specifications of the Aprilia RSV4-based ART machine make for interesting reading. The weight of the bike is listed at 165kg, giving credence to the statement by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that the minimum weights were increased from 153kg to 157kg to help the Claiming Rule Teams, rather than one of the factories, as some conspiracy theorists have claimed.

The press release from the team is below, as well as the specs of the bike and a selection of photos, courtesy of  the Aspar team:

POWER ELECTRONICS ASPAR TEAM PRESENTED IN VALENCIA

Aleix Espargaró, Randy De Puniet and the definitive liveries of the POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team presented in Tuesday event

At 8pm local time in Spain, the Hotel Balneario de las Arenas played host to the official presentation of the POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team. The Valencian venue was the setting for the public unveiling of the collaboration between the solar power, frequency inverters and solar devices company and the Aspar Team.

Canal 9 journalist, Lluís Motes, presented the event, inviting representatives from both sides to speak on stage. Mr. Abelardo Salvo, POWER ELECTRONICS President, and Mr. Jorge Martínez 'Aspar', CEO of the Aspar Team showed off the new POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team bikes which will compete in the 2012 MotoGP season -starting with the April 8th Qatar GP. Mr. Abelardo Salvo and Vice President of Operations Amadeo Salvo showed off a video of the exciting MotoGP campaign ahead, mixed in with footage of the new POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team. Mr. Jorge Martínez 'Aspar' was next up, mailing the fantastic union between the two Valencian companies.

The two new POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team, Aleix Espargaró and Randy De Puniet also had their moment at the presentation, as did Mr. Cristóbal Grau, Sports Delegate, Marina Real Juan Carlos I, Mr. Alfonso Rus, President of the Valencia Council and Ms. Lola Johnson, Tourism, Culture and Sports Delegate.

The POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team and the representatives of the Valencia region shared a coast at the end of the presentation.

Jorge Martínez 'Aspar': "For myself and for the POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team the CRT project is an exciting challenge. We had one rider in the premier class before and now we have two, so I am delighted with this. The concept and regulations of the premier class have changed a lot and there is a lot of future in MotoGP. Our tests have been excellent and we are highly motivated. I want to thank POWER ELECTRONICS for the confidence that they have placed in this project. I also want to thank the other new sponsors: Vibo, Bel Ray and Crecs. It makes me happy that the team continues to grow in motorcycle racing. I am sure that the union of POWER ELECTRONICS and the Aspar Team, with their association with new technology, is going to bring many benefits to both parties. I hope to reward this confidence placed in us with positive results and performances."

Amadeo Salvo: "The union of two Valencia companies has made it possible for the MotoGP POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team to compete in the World Championship this Season. We are proud to be representing the Valencia region in MotoGP and we want to encourage local businesses to support our sport. I want to wish Jorge Martínez 'Aspar' and his riders, Randy De Puniet and Aleix Espargaró, the best of luck for this year and beyond. I also want to thank the smaller sponsors of the Aspar Team and POWER ELECTRONICS for making this new phase possible. We couldn't do this without them."

Aleix Espargaró: "I wanted to attend the POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team presentation very much. The fact that we can afford to come along means that everything is in order and we are almost at the start of the season. The preseason seemed to fly by for me, so now I just want to get the final test over and done with and get to Qatar. I am really excited to be part of this new CRT project. I hope that both my teammate and I have a good season and that we fight to be the best CRT riders. It is great that the Aspar Team has a Valencian main sponsor."

Randy De Puniet: "I was really excited about the presentation of the new POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar Team. We had the opportunity to see the new designs for the bike and leathers a while ago at Aragón and they are beautiful. What's more, the presentation is in Valencia, the Aspar Team and POWER ELECTRONICS are from Valencia and I feel at home here. The start of the season is fast approaching and I consider that we are ready to go. We only have the weekend test at Jerez to go, at which we will get a better idea of what awaits us at the opening race."

ART GP12 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Aprilia, four-cylinder V (65 degrees), four-stroke, liquid cooling, double camshaft distribution, four valves per cylinder.

CYLINDER CAPACITY
999 CC

MAXIMUM POWER
+ 220 HP

TOP SPEED
+ 330 KM/H

TRANSMISSION
6 speed with alternative ratios available. Oil clutch with anti-stutter tank.

FUEL DELIVERY
Electronic injection via Ride-by-Wire.

ELECTRONICS UNIT
Aprilia Racing ECU.

EXHAUSTS
Arrow

FINAL TRANSMISSION
Cadena - Regina

CHASSIS
ART Aluminium

SUSPENSION
Öhlins 42mm inverted forks and Öhlins rear shock, with preload control, hydraulic brake and extension.

TYRES
Bridgestone

BRAKES
Brembo, double 320mm carbon front discs, with four piston calipers. Individual rear disc with two piston calipers.

WEIGHT
165 KG

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MotoGP
Aprilia
Aleix Espargaro
Randy de Puniet
Teams
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Comments

"The specifications of the Aprilia RSV4-based ART machine make for interesting reading. The weight of the bike is listed at 165kg, giving credence to the statement by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that the minimum weights were increased from 153kg to 157kg to help the Claiming Rule Teams, rather than one of the factories, as some conspiracy theorists have claimed."

David, you always defend Carmelo's actions even if they are wrong. Why? Dorna's proposal to increase minimum weight early in novemeber last year is frivolous.

It's not frivolous. It's in line with Dorna's stated intention to make CRT bikes a valid alternative to satellite factory bikes. The fact that you don't 'get it' and keep banging on about it, even though it's a done deal and been accepted by everyone - now that's frivolous.

First - are you David? No, I don't think so!

Second - calm down. We are all here to exchange opinions and learn something new, not to agree with you.

I see you have opinion that is shaped by others, that's 0K, but you need to let other people to express their thoughts. You don't have to offend me and others that think differently.

Third - I don't think that Dorna's proposal have come in right time. The proposal is right, but the timing surely isn't. Honda and Yamaha had both invested huge financial and human resources into developing their new 1000cc machinery believing the weight limit would be 153kg. Dorna should propose minimum weight increase before Japanese manufacturers began working on their machines.

What is next? Another proposal in let's say May if it turns out that CRT's aren't competetive enough? Frivolous!

I understand what you're saying. But, I think on this subject in particular he has focused more on 'who are the players' and 'what' is changing, than an editorial of what is right and wrong about it.

But, I too wouldn't mind hearing more of his opinions on CRT. Only so many hours in a day I suppose.

You are reading my ideas and opinions. You may not agree with them, but that's fine. On this one point - that the ability to make technical regulations needs to be taken away from the factories - I agree with Dorna. In lots of other areas - their inability to properly promote the sport and generate the kind of revenue through sponsorship which they would be capable of if they didn't keep interfering with the teams - I disagree strongly with them.

There is a phenomenon called confirmation bias, which means that people prefer to read news and opinion that agrees with theirs. There is a well-established body of psychological research studying this subject, especially since the advent of the internet, which allows readers to personalize news. Michael Scott is a defender of the status quo - a status quo that would have reduced the grid to 12-14 bikes this year - and if you agree with the idea that only factories wealthy enough to produce the highly-strung machines that need massive electronic interference to manage a miserly amount of fuel should be competing in MotoGP, then you will enjoy Mr Scott's work more than my own.

The truth is that I enjoy reading you both. I read all that has to do with WGP and I really read a lot, and then I make my own conclusions. I don't fall in love with anybody's opinions, at least I like to think so.

When I think about it, I agree with you, confirmation bias phenomenon affects all of us in the end, even you are not immune to Dennis Noyes opinions.

Aspar and their partners have certainly turned out a very purposefull looking mean machine. Big thumbs up to them. I reckon that V65 degree Aprilia mill is going to turn a few heads this weekend. Might even knock some noses out of joint this season.
As for the CRT/Dorna/mass issue.
Something had to done and the debate can rage on endlessly,but in the final analysis the objective is correct in the interests of saving GP.
It is regrettable that the mass restrictions were dumped on the factories so late.
I for one am of the opinion that GP and SBK should be the subject of a radical rethink by the FIM.
CRT and SBK are too convergent for my liking in terms of what should constitute a world premier class and what should be a world series production based class.

interesting that they didn't go with Akrapovic exhaust ... since it seems to be linked (and working well) with aprilia in general and specialy WSBK ...

How can Aspar's bike weigh the same as a WSB?

There is no rear subframe by the look of it just a C.F. seat unit, it's got carbon discs and by the look of it C.F. wheels

165kg? . . yeah right, wringing wet with a full load of fuel