When World Superbike team Althea Racing couldn’t reach an agreement to continue with Ducati, team owner Genesio Bevilacqua needed to find a new partner in order to continue in World Superbikes and after discussions with both BMW and Aprilia, the team has now officially announced that they will field Davide Giugliano on an Aprilia RSV4 in 2013.
Aprilia won this year’s manufacturers and rider titles with Max Biaggi and next season with the addition of Giugliano, four riders will be contesting on the same machinery, Eugene Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli in Aprilia’s official factory team and Michel Fabrizio for the Red Devils Roma team.
“I am very pleased to have reached such an important agreement with Aprilia,” said Genesio Bevilacqua.
“We will race with the championship winning bike next year and this will only encourage us to push even harder and live up to the potential of the bike that we are entrusted with.
As everybody knows, Althea Racing is used to facing important challenges and counts on a structure that works in perfect harmony to achieve great goals.
Our strength is our team and its components; our team members, who have worked together for many years with no secrets between them, remain the same.
We believe that we have sufficient experience with which to confront the challenge of the 2013 championship.
Davide Giugliano is our secret weapon.
He is a young and aggressive rider who has amazing talent and together with him we will fight for success in the 2013 SBK championship standings.
I would like to thank the entire Aprilia staff and particularly Engineer Dall’Igna for their willingness and professionalism.
” Gigi Dall’Igna, technical and sport director of Aprilia Racing had this to say: “We are truly pleased to announce the cooperation with Althea Racing, unquestionably one of the top teams in World SBK.
This is a structure with great technical skills that has our complete confidence.
With the bike provided to Althea, and after the agreement reached with the Red Devils Roma team, we now have four RSV4 bikes lined up for the next World SBK season.
This is a great challenge for Aprilia Racing and, at the same time, a reason for us to be proud since even in the season which just ended the RSV4 has shown itself to be a winning project”.
The 23-year old Giugliano debuted in World Superbikes in 2012 after winning the 2011 World Superstock title with Althea and he finished 10th overall with two podium results (a 2nd place at Assen and third place at Misano).