Two Aprilia RSV4 bikes
will be on the track in the 2017 World Superbike Championship with the Milwaukee
Aprilia Racing Team colours.
This is a two-year
contract, so it will also be valid for 2018.
The agreement specifies
that technical material and related direct assistance and support will be
provided by Aprilia Racing, including bike development, which classifies
Milwaukee as a Supported Factory Team.
This means that Aprilia
Racing - the Piaggio Group racing department and technological point of
excellence in the Italian motorcycle industry - is confirming its high level
presence in the premier competition for factory derivative bikes, alongside its
important efforts in MotoGP.
The goal is to compete at
top levels in World SBK in order to emphasize the competitiveness of the Aprilia
RSV4, capable of taking no less than seven World Titles (three Rider and four
Manufacturer) between 2010 and 2014, proving to be the most victorious bike in
recent WSBK history.
The result of a project
intended to create a true racing bike that any enthusiast could have, the RSV4
astonished from its rookie season, winning a race in its maiden year and then
racking up repeated championship wins in both the Manufacturer and Rider
competitions (twice with Max Biaggi and once with Sylvain Guintoli). All this
while the street version - obviously also characterized by an exclusive narrow
1.0 litre V4 - continued to win comparative reviews year after year with the
best competitors in the world, both European and Japanese.
The team run by Shaun
Muir, which boasts two British titles, will be able to count on a top shelf
rider lineup: in addition to the 2015 Superstock Champion Lorenzo Savadori, who
quickly drew attention this year in his rookie World Superbike season, Northern
Irishman Eugene Laverty will be back in WSBK, 2013 runner up astride none other
than an Aprilia RSV4.
Romano Albesiano -
Aprilia Racing Manager
"Shaun Muir's team, after
making a good name for themselves in the British championship, wants to get to
the top of a world category. Our agreement includes, in addition to providing
bikes and materials, support from Aprilia Racing personnel to manage and develop
the RSV4, within a Factory Support type relationship.
The birth of the
Milwaukee Aprilia Racing Team also marks Eugene Laverty's return to WSBK, a
rider who we know well and whose professional and personal qualities have our
utmost respect. He will have Lorenzo Savadori working alongside him, a young
rider who has been part of our sports project for two seasons in which he won
the Superstock 1000 title first and then drew attention in WSBK with an
extremely positive rookie year".
Shaun Muir - SMR
General Manager
"For SMR, collaboration
with Aprilia Racing for 2017 and 2018 means a real chance to fight for the win.
Aprilia has a strong and victorious history in World Superbike and we are
determined to continue on the same path. Having Eugene and Lorenzo on board
makes this a dream team. Without a doubt, Eugene is coming back to WSBK for one
reason only - to win. Lorenzo, on the other hand, is the fastest rookie and a
sure protagonist. I wish to thank Milwaukee, Gulf and all of the partners who
are supporting our project".
Eugene
Laverty
"I'm excited to return to
Superbike with Aprilia and the RSV4, a bike with which I took ten wins and
second place overall in the championship. I hope to be able to pick up where I
left off with those results, thanks to the support of Aprilia and a fantastic
team like Shaun Muir's. Everything is in place for us to be competitive straight
away".
Lorenzo
Savadori
"I am very happy to continue my adventure in World
Superbike with Aprilia. This is another chance to achieve great results, with
one more year of experience on the RSV4 for me. In a demanding rookie season I
was already able to express a good performance level, learning a lot, both about
race management and working in the garage, but I do not want to stop here. We
will definitely be highly motivated at the start, with an ambitious project and
a great desire to do well".
Jason Chiswell - Vice
President of Marketing Milwaukee Tools
"At Milwaukee Power tools
our vision is always to win and that same mentality is shared with the SMR team.
We see the next year with Aprilia as being an exciting and a new winning chapter
in our World Superbike program”.
Frank Rutten - Vice
President of Gulf Oil International
"As the world’s fastest
growing oil brand we are very excited by the prospect of moving forwards with
what we believe will be one of the most rapid teams in SBK next year. We have
been extremely impressed by the way SMR has entered the World Superbike arena.
They are one of the best organized and most professional outfits in the paddock
and we have developed an excellent working relationship with both them and the
team’s title sponsor, Milwaukee Tools.
We are very excited by
the prospect of moving forwards with them as team sponsor and official lubricant
partners”.
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