From Underdogs to Powerhouses: Romano Albesiano’s Transformative Journey from Aprilia to HRC

"Romano's achievements with Aprilia have been nothing short of extraordinary."

"Being appointed as the technical director of HRC feels surreal, almost like a dream."

In 2017, Aleix Espargaro became part of the Aprilia team, and at that time, the Spanish rider secured only the 15th spot in the MotoGP riders' rankings. Meanwhile, the Noale-based factory team was struggling at the bottom of both the team and constructors' rankings.

During this period, Honda launched into a dominant streak, claiming the first of three consecutive MotoGP triple crowns. Their star racer, Marc Marquez, spearheaded the flawless capture of the riders’, teams’, and constructors’ championships.

However, as Marquez's arm injuries in 2020 revealed the flaws of Honda's RC213V, the RS-GP has completely adapted to the era of ride-height and aerodynamics.

Aprilia continued to achieve new MotoGP achievements: taking a short-lived lead during the race at Phillip Island in 2019, securing their first podium finish in 2021. This was followed by their first pole position, a MotoGP victory, and leading the world championship during a transformative 2022 season.

Despite Andrea Iannone propelling the RS-GP to its inaugural lead, Espargaro surpassed the Italian in the world championship standings.

In 2024, for the first time, Espargaro faced consistent competition from his Aprilia teammate, Maverick Vinales, which played a role in his choice to retire.

Following Iannone's suspension due to doping, Espargaro was nicknamed the 'Captain' for leading the RS-GP, a motorcycle that three Moto2 competitors refused to ride in 2021, to achieve all of its significant MotoGP accolades.

Honda is currently experiencing a situation reminiscent of Aprilia's initial MotoGP struggles. In response, they have contracted Espargaro for the 2025 season as a test and wild-card competitor. Additionally, they've brought on board his crew chief, Antonio Jimeniz, along with Aprilia's technical director, Romano Albesiano, which was the most unexpected move.

Espargaro minimized his role in HRC's historic choice to grant significant technical power to someone who is not Japanese, yet he emphasized the high regard he has for Albesiano.

Espargaro mentioned that he was aware of the intention to strengthen the Japanese technical team by including a European member. He acknowledged Romano's exceptional skills and was impressed by his achievements with Aprilia.

"I have great faith in Romano's abilities. I think as time passes and we gain more perspective, the accomplishments that Romano and I achieved with Aprilia will be more appreciated. That's my genuine belief."

While the financial details of MotoGP are kept under wraps, it is believed that Aprilia works with one of the least sizable budgets among manufacturers, which makes the advancements of the RS-GP even more remarkable.

Espargaro remarked that Romano's achievements at Aprilia over the past 6-7 years have been extraordinary and noteworthy.

"In the past two or three seasons, we've seen growth, but the initial seasons were quite challenging. He remained persistent, continually bringing fresh ideas and improving the bike each year."

"I have consistently maintained a positive rapport with Romano, holding him in high regard. I consider it a privilege to join the most prestigious and historically significant factory in this paddock."

"It's incredible, almost like a dream come true, to hold the position of technical director at HRC."

In my view, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) doesn’t need to completely overhaul their approach. They have achieved significant success historically with their existing strategies. However, given the current dominance of Italian engineers in the industry, blending their expertise with HRC’s methods could significantly strengthen Honda’s performance in the coming year.

"Yet again, Honda HRC has focused on Romano, me as a test rider, my crew chief, and a mechanic who will be working with me. This indicates that we performed exceptionally well with Aprilia in the past."

"All recognition goes to Aprilia, as we should take great pride in what we have accomplished together."

Maverick Vinales: "Working with Romano has been a wonderful experience"

As Vinales prepares to leave at the conclusion of this season to join Tech3 KTM, and with Fabiano Sterlacchini stepping in to replace Albesiano, Aprilia is set for a significant change.

"I can't discuss Romano's technical skills because he's at a level I'll never reach," Vinales expressed.

"He is a calm and systematic individual who is good at planning, making it easier for a rider to work with him compared to dealing with constant, drastic changes each time they hit the track."

"The time I've spent with Romano has been amazing and has left me with a very positive impression."

Espargaro asserts that the exits will not endanger the prospects of his close friend and future Aprilia rider for 2025, Jorge Martin.

"The foundation of the bike is solid, and Jorge is an incredibly fast racer, which is positive for Aprilia as well," Espargaro commented.

"I'm pleased for Aprilia, as they are set to advance by two steps," he commented.

"They have brought on board new crew chiefs and two highly skilled riders, Martin and Marco Bezzecchi. Additionally, they have a new Technical Director who is expected to further motivate the talented engineers already based in Noale. Massimo Rivola is considered the top CEO in the paddock."

“Clearly, it's not going to be simple; making numerous changes is risky. However, nothing in this sport ever comes easy. Therefore, I'm pleased for Aprilia.”

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