Aprilia’s Carbon Fibre MotoGP Evolution and the Future of Racing: Exploring Development Challenges and the 2027 GPS Data Sharing Initiative

Aprilia's carbon fibre MotoGP chassis remains in the development stage and isn't race-ready yet: "It's a totally new beast."

Approximately one year prior, Aprilia turned heads as Lorenzo Savadori was observed at an exclusive Misano trial employing a carbon fiber frame on the manufacturer's RS-GP MotoGP motorcycle.

Shortly after, it became clear that Aprilia wasn't the only one to develop a composite frame—a design not seen in MotoGP since Ducati's implementation from 2009 to 2011—when KTM's wildcard rider, Dani Pedrosa, showcased a carbon fibre chassis at the San Marino round, mere weeks later.

The Spanish rider pushed the carbon fibre to the verge of achieving a podium finish, before KTM's official racing team members approved it during the Monday trial. Aprilia's racing team members also had the opportunity to test their carbon fibre frame. This was once more observed during the post-season test in Valencia.

In a move diverging from the industry trend, Aprilia has decided to stick with a traditional aluminum frame for its newest RS-GP model, even as KTM has transitioned all of its racing team to carbon fiber frames

"The project is a work in progress," said Marco de Luca, who leads the Vehicle Department at Aprilia Racing, during an interview with Crash.net regarding the company's endeavors with carbon fibre. "We're still considering our options. However, currently, we've decided against using it in competitive racing."

Despite his reluctance to delve into specifics, de Luca hinted that substituting aluminium with carbon fibre in the RS-GP could potentially be more intricate than replacing the steel trellis with another material at KTM.

KTM utilizes a unique approach to their motorcycle frame design, which is distinct in both concept and philosophy. Their design, exclusive to their motorcycles, might not be described as overly complicated to transition to carbon, but it's not as straightforward as converting aluminum designs directly into carbon fiber.

"This represents an entirely new challenge. While it may offer benefits from a technical perspective, we're not currently in a position to roll it out."

When questioned about the benefits of carbon fiber, de Luca responded:

"Weight is a clear factor, yet it's not the only consideration. We're encountering various technical hurdles and advantages. However, there are also challenges in achieving a consistent manufacturing process."

"Due to the requirement of generating numerous frames that are nearly identical, with a variance of less than 1%, carbon fiber is considered a somewhat more sensitive technology. Therefore, it necessitates further research and understanding."

De Luca revealed that before a carbon fibre frame is showcased to the public, it has already experienced a minimum of one year of development in secret.

"He emphasized that you should begin at least a year in advance, if not earlier,” he stated. “This is particularly true for first-time projects, such as our transition from an aluminium swingarm to one made of carbon fibre.

For Aprilia, this marked their second endeavor. Initially, their efforts fell short, failing to reach completion. However, they embarked on the project anew, and after a year, they made it to the track with a design that is still undergoing development today.

We're constantly refining the architecture, the idea, and the aesthetics – even for things that may seem quite standard now. There's an ongoing effort to enhance the weight, rigidity, longevity, and materials.

"The technology is quite intricate."

2027 MotoGP regulations: Decreasing fuel levels seen as a cost-effective measure, implementing GPS enhances the overall viewing experience.

When asked about the various modifications to the 2027 technical regulations that could hinder performance, such as reducing engine size from 1,000 to 850cc, de Luca, who participated in the talks, stated:

"Undoubtedly, we had to take action to slightly improve performance."

"Aprilia had reservations regarding the engine capacity modification."

"Similar to a few of my peers, we were persuaded that it was possible to achieve a comparable outcome at a lower cost."

When questioned about the methods used to significantly decrease the power output of the current engines, diminishing the fuel capacity emerged as a primary strategy.

"Lowering the energy might lead to complications in distinguishing between qualifying specifications and race specifications," he mentioned.

Regarding aerodynamics, a field in which de Luca specialized during his time in Formula One, he cautioned:

"For as long as I've been involved in Formula One, introducing a new rule simply pauses the progress momentarily, after which we pick up and proceed."

However, he estimates that regaining the downforce compromised by reduced front fairing sizes could take "perhaps eighteen months to two years." He emphasized that by then, the targets for design will have shifted.

"The properties of the airflow should vary, as it seems illogical to maintain identical figures as the current ones while operating with reduced power."

"Thus, achieving equilibrium requires effort… which means significant investment of both finances and time!"

Significantly for Aprilia, a leader in the MotoGP arena for its expertise in 'ground effect'—a technique that involves compressing (and speeding up) the air caught between the bike's side and the track to generate downforce when leaning sharply—there will be no forthcoming limits on the design of side fairings.

"Maintaining this was quite challenging, trust me," de Luca confessed, suggesting that Aprilia had to battle to keep the liberty to design the bike's sides.

"However, ultimately, the concept of ground effect is now widely adopted, with other motorcycles employing a similar approach."

"It's fascinating to observe the variety of perspectives on this matter. Some align more closely with our own, while others diverge significantly… Intriguing."

De Luca pointed out that in the future, the exchange of GPS data among teams will simplify the process of gathering information that is currently obtained through more complex methods like video analysis.

"Everyone has their own, shall we call it, intricate methods for understanding the activities of others, and with the advent of GPS, all of this information is openly available. Thus, utilizing GPS enables us to perform our tasks in a manner that is not only more accurate but also more cost-effective," he explained.

"I believe it enhances the show because when a manufacturer is trailing, they can recover faster, leading to a more evenly matched contest."

"At present, our focus is on examining various segments of the track and the performance of different competitors. Our goal is to piece together an understanding of the whole. This is a common approach shared by many."

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