The rumors that Aprilia may have decided to enter MotoGP in 2012 with the new 1000cc rules and with Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez running the new team are getting stronger as the season goes by.
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Aprilia wants to enter MotoGP first with Martinez, who’s contract with Ducati is up at the end of 2011 and then officially enter the premier class with their own full fledged factory team in 2013.
The Italian sports daily is also reporting that deal between Aprilia’s technical director Gigi dall’Igna and the powerful Spanish manager who runs three teams in Grand Prix series, went through a couple of weeks ago and was overseen by Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta.
The Piaggio Group is the fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer after Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki, and Aprilia with Max Biaggi are on their way to their first WSBK championship just two years after the RSV4 Factory debut and the company can’t afford waiting any longer to appear in MotoGP in some form or other.