Miguel Oliveira will receive a factory-specification 2024 Aprilia RS-GP for his maiden campaign with the new Trackhouse MotoGP squad this season, according to Speedweek.
The Portuguese racer ran a year-old ’22 version of the bike last year having joined the RNF Racing operation. He struggled to make much of a consistent impression at the front of the field due to missing a total of five races through injury, as well as the financial troubles of the Romanian-owned operation.
These problems ultimately led to Dorna stripping it of its entries for the ’24 season, with American NASCAR team Trackhouse instead coming in to take over the Aprilia satellite supply deal. With more financial resources behind it, the organization made it clear during its launch last month that it was pushing to have a closer technical relationship with Aprilia than its predecessor.
According to Austrian publication Speedweek, who recently spoke to Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola, this request has been granted. The Italian confirmed that Oliveira will receive a pair of factory-spec RS-GP’s for the start of the new campaign, allowing the marque an extra data point to continue developing the machine.
Oliveira’s team-mate Raul Fernandez will start the year on a year-old RS-GP with a ’24-spec engine, before then switching to the new chassis as early as the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in June. Oliveira got the nod over Fernandez due to his greater level of premier-class experience, as well as due to the fact he ended the ’23 term higher in the standings.
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