Alitalia flies in to partner Aprilia

Aprilia aim to fly high after announcing their alliance with Alitalia.

THE Aprilia RSV4 Factory is competing in this year’s World Superbike Championship – contested by Max Biaggi and Leon Camier – with a magnificent new livery representing the collaboration of two great Italian brands.

 The Aprilia Alitalia Racing team is aiming to consolidate consolidating and improve upon its achievements of the 2009 World Superbike Championship. In its debut season, the RSV4 Factory set the highest-ever speed record during a race (329 kph at Monza), and saw Max Biaggi take a race win and nine other podiums to finish fourth overall.

Max Biaggi (left) and Leon Camier lead the challenge for Aprilia.

For 2010, the team and its riders are competing over 13 rounds, taking the colours and values of Italy – represented by Aprilia and Alitalia – with them through four different continents. The partnership will see the legendary Alitalia logo emblazoned everywhere from the flanks of the bikes to the leathers to the hospitality unit and will also pave the way for a range of replica bikes and scooters. A number of co-branded events are also planned, with guest appearances from Max Biaggi and 23-year-old Brit Leon Camier – the two riders tasked with adding to Aprilia’s already impressive list of racing achievements.

 Max Biaggi said: “The beginning of a new season and a bike with new colours, is always very emotional for a rider. It will be an honour to carry these prestigious colours onto the world circuits – a tricolour that will make both the bike and team unique. It’s also great to have a new team member. Leon comes from the tough British championship and has all the right skills to become the strong wingman. Aprilia did a fantastic job in 2009. We made giant strides from a technical standpoint. This was made possible by the hard work of the team that allowed the RSV4 to make progress race after race.
“The win at Brno was just the crowning moment of a continual growth process. Of course, we were the great surprise of the 2009 season and I am really happy with the results. Nobody could have predicted that we would be so competitive at our debut or expected a fourth place season finish. And yet I feel as if the greatest satisfactions are still to come, we haven’t reached the top yet – only a win will really crown it all for me. We are now facing the forthcoming season armed with more knowledge, more experience on the circuits and with the recognition of our potential”.

Leon Camier: “Being a part of this team and a part of the Aprilia RSV4 project is an incredible opportunity. This championship will be very tough, with some strong competition. I’ll be racing against some outstanding, highly experienced riders. This is why it is so important to be in a team like Aprilia Alitalia, one of the very few that offer a rider extraordinary opportunities in terms of developing the bike. My first impressions of the RSV4 were phenomenal – it has enormous potential and is a very quick bike. I aim to get as much experience as possible to fully exploit that. It is a great challenge for me to learn how to develop a bike and make it better.
“Everyone wants to win and everyone sets off from the grid to win, but my first goal is to understand the bike and constantly improve my performance. I think that we have already found the right direction for the development of the bike, our goal now is to continue in this direction and to improve together with the bike.”