MOTUL to be a technical partner with APRILIA in MotoGP
Aubervilliers, 25 March 2015. In 2015 one of the most historic names in motorcycle racing, APRILIA, will be linked with another of MotoGP’s most well-known and successful brand, MOTUL. The international lubricant company will be a technical partner with APRILIA, further increasing MOTUL’s involvement in top level of motorcycling.
The team will use MOTUL’s highly effective and successful racing Factory Line and Motul MC Care ranges for its MotoGP campaign. APRILIA, one of the most prestigious and victorious motorcycle brands in the world with 54 world titles in its trophy case, has worked hand-in-hand with MOTUL to develop an experimental engine lubricant specifically for the new RS-GP prototype made by the Italian manufacturer.
As with all other prototypes used in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, APRILIA’s bike and Motul’s lubricants must meet the extreme technical constraints placed on them by the demands of this discipline: speed, performance, consistency and reliability.
The new partnership is the result of a technical development project which began in 2012 with the ParkinGO MTC APRILIA Racing team in WSBK. In Superbike, APRILIA has proven itself to be the leading manufacturer, winning 7 world titles in the last 5 racing seasons. In the 2015 season APRILIA, in addition to its efforts in WSBK and Superstock, will also be entering MotoGP a year ahead of the originally announced schedule.
The APRILIA Racing Team Gresini will benefit from the considerable talents of two of motorcycling’s biggest stars, former World Champion and long-standing APRILIA rider, Marco Melandri of Italy who has shown his competitiveness both in MotoGP and in Superbike, and Spaniard Alvaro Bautista who brings experience from Suzuki and Honda.
Hélène Zaugg, Head of Communication and Motorsport at MOTUL commented on the new partnership: “This is the third manufacturer, together with Yamaha and Suzuki, which has placed its confidence in MOTUL’s products for its motorsport programme in top level motorcycle racing. We are very proud and happy to be joining the whole APRILIA team in the great challenge that is MotoGP. This championship is crucial for us in the sense that the knowledge gained from the teams using our experimental lubricants today will, in the future, be transferred to the products available to the general public on the shelves.” Romano Albesiano, Head of APRILIA RACING, commented: “We are very happy to have MOTUL alongside us for our entrance into the top motorcycle racing category. Their experience in Grand Prix racing goes without saying and it will be very helpful to us in our first MotoGP season where APRILIA is completely committed to developing our prototypes and searching for the best possible performance.”
APRILIA, which has won over 50 World titles, is returning to MotoGP fresh from its dominance in recent years in WSBK. Thirty-eight of those titles – and 249 GP victories – have been achieved in World Speed Championships and the global series remains the one sought after by all manufacturers and top teams. The first round of the 18-race series will be held on 29 March at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.ABOUT MOTULMOTUL is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its MOTULTECH activity.
MOTUL is also recognised as the specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, MOTUL was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant for automotive engines, the 300V lubricant, making use of Esters technology and issued from the aeronautical industry.
Throughout the years, MOTUL has gained experience as an official supplier to many racing teams and manufacturers and contributes with them to further technological development in motorsports.
MOTUL is supporting those teams in international competitions such as: 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), FIA World Endurance Championship, Super GT, Drift, Pikes Peak, Japanese championship Super Formula, Blancpain Endurance Series, Dakar, MotoGP, World Superbike, World MX, FIM Endurance World Championship, IOM TT, MOTUL FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship, Roof of Africa and score of others.
As with all other prototypes used in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, APRILIA’s bike and Motul’s lubricants must meet the extreme technical constraints placed on them by the demands of this discipline: speed, performance, consistency and reliability.
The new partnership is the result of a technical development project which began in 2012 with the ParkinGO MTC APRILIA Racing team in WSBK. In Superbike, APRILIA has proven itself to be the leading manufacturer, winning 7 world titles in the last 5 racing seasons. In the 2015 season APRILIA, in addition to its efforts in WSBK and Superstock, will also be entering MotoGP a year ahead of the originally announced schedule.
The APRILIA Racing Team Gresini will benefit from the considerable talents of two of motorcycling’s biggest stars, former World Champion and long-standing APRILIA rider, Marco Melandri of Italy who has shown his competitiveness both in MotoGP and in Superbike, and Spaniard Alvaro Bautista who brings experience from Suzuki and Honda.
Hélène Zaugg, Head of Communication and Motorsport at MOTUL commented on the new partnership: “This is the third manufacturer, together with Yamaha and Suzuki, which has placed its confidence in MOTUL’s products for its motorsport programme in top level motorcycle racing. We are very proud and happy to be joining the whole APRILIA team in the great challenge that is MotoGP. This championship is crucial for us in the sense that the knowledge gained from the teams using our experimental lubricants today will, in the future, be transferred to the products available to the general public on the shelves.” Romano Albesiano, Head of APRILIA RACING, commented: “We are very happy to have MOTUL alongside us for our entrance into the top motorcycle racing category. Their experience in Grand Prix racing goes without saying and it will be very helpful to us in our first MotoGP season where APRILIA is completely committed to developing our prototypes and searching for the best possible performance.”
APRILIA, which has won over 50 World titles, is returning to MotoGP fresh from its dominance in recent years in WSBK. Thirty-eight of those titles – and 249 GP victories – have been achieved in World Speed Championships and the global series remains the one sought after by all manufacturers and top teams. The first round of the 18-race series will be held on 29 March at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.ABOUT MOTULMOTUL is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its MOTULTECH activity.
MOTUL is also recognised as the specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, MOTUL was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant for automotive engines, the 300V lubricant, making use of Esters technology and issued from the aeronautical industry.
Throughout the years, MOTUL has gained experience as an official supplier to many racing teams and manufacturers and contributes with them to further technological development in motorsports.
MOTUL is supporting those teams in international competitions such as: 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), FIA World Endurance Championship, Super GT, Drift, Pikes Peak, Japanese championship Super Formula, Blancpain Endurance Series, Dakar, MotoGP, World Superbike, World MX, FIM Endurance World Championship, IOM TT, MOTUL FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship, Roof of Africa and score of others.
