Aprilia Commits to Africa Eco Race Defence
Aprilia has confirmed its participation in the next edition of the Africa Eco Race, a race it won on debut with its new rally programme earlier this year
Aprilia will return to the Africa Eco Race at the end of 2024 to defend the title it won earlier this year when it debuted at the event with its rally-prepared Tuareg 660.
In collaboration with GCorse - which is operated by the Guareschi brothers, one of whom, Vito, has previous experience as the manager of the Ducati MotoGP team in the early 2010s - Aprilia was able to take victory in the 15th edition of the Africa Eco Race back in January when Jacopo Cerutti beat the Yamaha duo of Pol Tarres and Alessandro Botturi.
The 2024 AER was only the second international rally for the project, which the Noale brand is now calling Aprilia Tuareg Racing, after the 2023 Transanatolia Rally - won by Yamaha, but Aprilia finished third with Francesco Montanari. Aside from these two races, the Tuareg rally programme has competed in the Italian Motorally Championship, which it won last year with Cerutti and which it will also defend in 2024.
On the announcement of Aprilia’s return to the AER, which was made during the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix, Jacopo Cerutti said: "We won on our debut, so expectations are high. The goal is to win the Italian Championship again and strive for the best possible performance in Africa. I started training immediately after the Africa Eco Race, and I feel in good shape for the new season."
Francesco Montanari added: "I am training and preparing as hard as possible. I hope to repeat last year’s performance and improve my results, especially in the Africa Eco Race. We are also determined for the Italian Championship, and I’ll try to do my best."
Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO, said: "After such an extraordinary debut last year, both in Italy and in Africa, expectations are very high. The goal is to confirm our leadership in this new sector. We have a historic and important name as Tuareg, and to see such a beautiful and powerful motorcycle in its natural habitat is a source of pride for Noale."
In addition to the Africa Eco Race, which is scheduled for 28 December 2024 - 12 January 2025, and the Italian Motorally Championship which begins on 20 April, Aprilia is also set to make its debut on the Hellas Rally Raid between 24 May - 2 June, which should offer similar conditions to the aforementioned Transanatolian event Aprilia finished third on last year.
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