EXTRACT FROM SLICK #15 – released in December 2021
He wanted him with him at the end of 2006, at a time when he could not materialize his talent: and the Emilian coach changed his career. It was an exhilarating and devastating five years. The kind you get goosebumps just thinking about.
It is well known history that Marco’s change came when he was downgraded, and because of that he found himself struggling with a blunt weapon: “Well, between LE and RSA there was a significant difference. Especially in 2008, because it had changed a lot. He already had a limitation in his tonnage, because he was heavier than the other riders and also had aerodynamic problems; to give him even a much less advanced bike meant penalizing him even more.”
Viewed from Aprilia Racing’s perspective, however, Marco had wasted the official bike in the previous two championships: “In 2006, yes, it was official. In 2007, it was not OE. In any case, if for outside observers Marco was not making progress, I had seen signs in the last race of 2007, in Valencia. After the start Debon took Marco wide in the first corner, so he got off to a bad start. But for the whole race he lapped with the times of whoever was in front. So as a result it had been disappointing, but reasoning about the times, in my opinion in 2008 he would have deserved an official bike. And I said that to Gigi as well.”
Instead, they gave the official bike to Locatelli. Pasini had it, too. And Bautista and Barbera had it. In short, everyone except Marco .
“The official bike they gave to Locatelli. Pasini had it, too. And Bautista and Barbera had it. In short, everyone except Marco. On Locatelli there is one thing to say. He was very hurt, because of the Jerez crash: a technical problem was to blame. Roberto was understanding and professional, he did not raise any controversy, so in Aprilia they felt obliged to give him support. Also to reward him for his seriousness.”
An RSA could have been given to Marco as well, or not?
“I thought so, and said so, too.”
Given how he did in 2008, can it be said that that experience changed him, for the better?
“Marco matured on his own during that winter. I repeat: He had already made a clear progress by the end of 2007. And he didn’t have the bike to win in 2007. He had the ‘customer’ version, which was a good bike but not the factory bike. So Marco in 2008 restarted, mentally, from the level with which he had finished the 2007 championship, when he had made a quantum leap. Not many people noticed, but I did.”
And at the start of the 2008 World Cup he ran into two zeros!
“In Qatar Marco had an anonymous race, he crashed, but there was also a limitation. A technical problem. At a certain point the cylinders, at a certain number of laps they would shut down.”
He also fell in Jerez. And it was another delirium.
“But that time it was Bautista, who had a technical problem: his engine seized, and Marco who was glued to him could not avoid hitting him. Marco tried to overtake, but in that instant Bautista’s Aprilia seized. It hit him, they both flew to the ground. Yes, that’s right, a ruckus broke out. Everyone was screaming, and let’s not even talk about the Aspar team….”
It was also a time when Marco and the Spanish were not exactly friends.
“That’s right, but that time they were also shouting in our pit: Marco was also shouted at by his team. I, however, said, ‘Let’s wait for him to come back and say what happened.’ I had noticed that Bautista when he got back up did not go and yell at Marco, which he surely would have done if he was convinced he was right. It meant there was something we had to figure out.”
And how did it go?
“When Gigi found out the cause of the accident he went to Marco and apologized. It was beautiful, the scene. Gigi said to him, ‘I have to apologize, because I thought it was your fault!'”
What about Marco?
“He candidly replied, ‘And instead it was your fault!'”
It ended in laughter.“It was his classic line, dry and simple, with which he would downplay and bring down the tension.”
(…)
Was Aprilia that far ahead at that time?
“Absolutely. That 250 was a great bike. It already had traction control: it was the first version, which was then developed in Superbike. This, just to say how far ahead in Aprilia they were on the engine level, especially the last version: that is, the RSA that they gave Marco in the second part of 2008. A significant step forward was made at the technical level, on that model.”
A great use of special materials can be seen everywhere.
“In fact it was constantly dropping in weight. Then, a brake on materials was given by the FIM: by changing the regulations, they raised the weight limit (which I think went to 115 kg). So gone were some of all that magnesium and super light parts that were there before. On that bike there were titanium parts, magnesium parts, carbon parts, plus other precious metals.”
Both in the chassis and in the engine.
“Certainly. For example: the crankshafts were special, with special material: they were not symmetrical, they had dissymmetry to overcome the top dead center before bursting. They were ahead quite a bit. And at one point, we used a heavier metal, to balance the bike. Which also had a carbon swingarm, as well as wheels that were also carbon. And they had been using those materials in Aprilia for several years. And yes, they were ahead of their time.”
The big box on the right is also all carbon.
“It’s the air box, which gets air from the front port, again on the right side of the cowl: the air box is substantial, because you need a large air box as it has to assist two carburetors: one up and one down. The engine is basically V-shaped, facing forward. So it’s a big box. Then it also acted as a ‘lung,’ as they say in the jargon.”
Thinking about it today, were 2Ts still developable?
“If they had invested in it, of course they would. And I still think today that the two-stroke motorcycle is the real racing motorcycle. Because it is light, powerful, nervous, difficult to handle: so it selects riders. You only have to see that the displacement of the Moto2 more than doubled in order to replace the 250 2T. The duemmezzo was more advanced, compared to the 4T of today. And Moto3 became a 250, to have the performance of the 125 back then.”
Is there more, then, behind the decision to do away with 2Ts?
“Several things happened. If the Aprilia executives had understood the request that Carmelo Ezpeleta made, maybe the 250 would have lasted longer. He had proposed to Aprilia to give a commitment guarantee of a certain number of years, because they were all retiring, from the 250, and Dorna was concerned. He therefore wanted Aprilia to supply many more bikes. What they didn’t understand, the Aprilia executives at the time, was that if they agreed Aprilia would become the sole supplier of the 250 World Championship, as happened to the Moto2 engine manufacturers…. Instead they snubbed that proposal recklessly, and it was a mistake.”
There is also an industrial issue, however.
“I would call it ‘political.’ I understand the campaign against pollution, but a four-stroke engine of today pollutes more than a two-stroke engine of that time. They made this choice to wash their conscience, but unleaded gasoline if it does not have a catalytic converter is much more harmful than leaded gasoline. At least, it is on par. I notice it, how much oil 4T racing cars consume, how often they change oil compared to 2Ts: they pollute the same, if not more. Not to mention the costs, which have gone up tremendously. A private team could handle it well, a two-stroke; today you need millions in Moto2.”
It was said at the time that the 250 was the bike on which one became a racer.
“It’s true. It had about 100 hp, it was light, and the driver had to take advantage of everything: he learned how to set it up, and he gained knowledge. Today electronics does everything. For example: the Aprilias had a chassis that allowed you to adjust everything: the range of possibilities for intervention was enormous. And the bike was very sensitive to adjustments, so you had to be careful. And then, the gearbox: each gear had 8-9 types of ratios, and everything had to be chosen millimetrically. Finally, the riding: you had to be 100 percent with everything, so the riding had to be perfect.”
Because 4Ts have a smoother delivery.
“In fact, Moto2 riders go fast right away when they get on the MotoGP. Because the electronics allow them to use the throttle with more fluency and freedom, compared to the reactions the two-strokes had. Once upon a time, even on a 250, you had to dose the throttle like a violinist, otherwise you’d go airborne! Now in 1″ there are 15 riders: it used to not happen.”
Marco was learning to go fast in MotoGP as well.
“Yes, because he would get there slowly, he would move forward by having his experiences-including falls! – so when he got there it wasn’t an exploit: then he stayed there, as a level. He was destined to be strong in MotoGP as well, as indeed he was already going in the last races of 2011.”
He was taking measurements.
“That’s right. And he would still progress, always steadily, because he was very curious, very open to changes and new things, so he was always willing to learn. He would try hard, and sooner or later he would get to the goal.”
Luca Boscoscuro says that in 2009 you threw away the title.
“And he’s also right! Aoyama did well, but let’s say that title was kind of given to him. By us, sure.”
CONTINUES ON SLICK#15