It’s seems that Aprilia isn’t going through a very good period lately.
Beginning with the switch from the 250cc class to Moto2 where the Italian brand was leasing and supplying most of the bikes on the grid and getting good money for them, then the last minute decision on the Moto2 project, that was already in the last stages of completion, leaving several long standing clients in the lurch and finishing up with safety problems related to the connecting rods of the RSV4 Factory and RSV4-R which resulted in a recall of 335 bikes already sold in the States.
Now another problem, rumors from Italy are saying that Giampiero Sacchi, Aprilia’s director of the Piaggio Group racing operations, may be leaving the company.
Apparently Sacchi will not be present at the very high profile Aprilia-Alitalia Superbike team launch on February 9th, unthinkable considering Sacchi’s position in the company and that head honcho of both Piaggio and Alitalia Roberto Colaninno will be presenting.