Aprilia Previews The Czech Republic Grand Prix

Aprilia Previews The Czech Republic Grand Prix

© 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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From MS Aprilia Racing Press Information:

Tuesday, 20 August 2002

PREVIEW

Brno, Czech Republic, tenth round of 2002 World Championship.

Tenth round of the World Road Racing Championship at Brno in the Czech Republic, as the heart of Europe is still suffering the terrible wounds inflicted by floodwaters which have brought many areas of Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to their knees. In the Czech Republic alone, 220,000 people have been evacuated and, as in the other countries struck by the floods, the cost of the damage has already run into astronomical figures. This Sunday, Brno will be hosting the tenth round of the MotoGP, in the hope that sport may once again be a harbinger of solidarity and of the desire to get the country back on its feet again.

The first motorcycling races were held in Brno way back in 1930: at that time they took place in the city streets but in the early 1980s today’s track was built. In 1987, after having been off the MotoGP calendar for some years, the Czech Republic Grand Prix once again returned to Brno.

The circuit: Deep in the softly rolling hills in the south of the Czech Republic, the circuits is long and safe, with a number of ups and downs and changes of direction which make it extremely technical. 5,403 metres – 6 left corners – 8 right corners – longest straight: 636 metres – Maximum width: 15 metres – Constructed in 1987 – Modified in 1996.


2001 winners. 125 Class: Elias (Spa) Honda – 250 Class: Harada (Jap) Aprilia – 500 Class: Rossi (Ita) Honda.


Circuit records – 125: 2’09,416, Ui, 2000 – 250: 2’03.836, Melandri (Aprilia), 2001 – 500: 2’01.461, Rossi, 2001.


APRILIA

After 9 rounds out of 16 in the 2002 MotoGP, Aprilia tops the charts in 3 out of the 6 championships:


1st in the 250 Class riders’ championship with Marco Melandri

1st in the 250 Class manufacturers’ championship

1st in the 125 Class manufacturers’ championship


As always during the mid-year Brno GP, which marks the beginning of the most important stage of the championship, the Noale-based manufacturer assists the top three Aprilia riders in the “eighth of a litre” class with evolution material developed by the Racing Department. “Evolution” cylinders which, especially in the case of Arnaud Vincent, currently second in the standings and just seven points from leader Manuel Poggiali, should help in the battle for leadership in the World Championship.


FIRST A.M.A. TITLE IN AMERICA FOR APRILIA

Aprilia conquers its first A.M.A. 250 title. Team Stargel Aprilia rider Chuck Sorensen (30 years on 14 August) won the 10th and final round of the A.M.A. 250 championship in Alton (Virginia). Sorensen, from Sunnyvale, Calif., who won the opening race this year at Daytona, conquered the coveted American title with 5 wins in 10 championship races (Daytona, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sears Point, Alton) and with 8 podium finishes. With two 250 A.M.A. titles already under his belt in 1999 and 2000, Sorensen chose to ride an Aprilia 250 to achieve his third victory in the class, giving the Noale-based manufacturer a magnificent success and one of great importance in terms of image for Aprilia in the USA. Sorensen is the fifth American rider to win 3 A.M.A. titles – like one of the great names in American motorcycling, John Kocinski.


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MARCO MELANDRI – 250cc class – Aprilia RSW 250

Marco Melandri, who celebrated his 20th birthday on 7 April with a memorable party, spent a few days at home in London and was then back on the Romagna Riviera for a few more days of total relaxation before setting off for the championship. A slight bout of the flu last week did not, however, prevent him from completing his preparations for Sunday’s race. Yesterday he was already back in the gym getting back into shape for the green light in Brno, the track where he made his 1997 debut in the 125 class. Marco has won 6 out of the 9 races so far this season and the last 5 victories in a row have galvanised him. He has kept up his concentration throughout the summer break and is hoping to achieve yet another success at Brno.


“After my birthday party, I decided to stay at the sea for a few more days to be with my friends. I feel really rested now: I didn’t spend all that much time in the sun but just did the sort of things that make a holiday truly relaxing. Making sure I’m in really good physical shape and ready to start the championship again. Jogging and working out in the gym: I had a short break last week when a mild form of flu put me out of action for a while. So we’re off to Brno, a friendly circuit and one that I like: that’s where I debuted in 1997 on a 125, and almost made the podium for the first time in the 250 class in 2000. It’s technical and difficult, where all the corners take second gear except for the fastest, third-gear one. The track’s very wide, about 15 metres, with plenty of room for imaginative trajectories. Coming out, you can let the bike accelerate all the way up to top speed. It’s a track where your opponents try to get into your slipstream to get the most out of it. I think Rolfo should be good on this circuit: last year he was fantastic, and Nieto will be as competitive as ever. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve lost none of my motivation this summer – I keep thinking about the positive period I’m going through at the moment and keep my objectives for this year at the front of my mind. The first session of free practice will help me get back my feeling for the bike, and then I’ll just try to stay relaxed in the race, riding hard. If victory is within my reach, then I’ll go for it.”


REGIS LACONI – MotoGP – Aprilia RS3

A holiday dedicated to more than just rest for Régis Laconi. The official Aprilia RS Cube rider spent the summer break getting into top physical shape for an important stage of the Championship which starts again next Sunday. His trainer Patrick Chamagne joined him in Valais, Switzerland, and they worked together on a targeted programme which Patrick prepared specially for Régis. “Extreme” high-altitude cycling to improve resistance to fatigue and a number of climbing sessions in the Alps. Régis and Patrick even crossed into France, where they used crampons to climb the Mont Blanc du Tacul, a 4,250 metre peak with everlasting snows just a stone’s throw from the roof of Europe, the Mont Blanc. The great Italian-French rider has acquired his body of steel partly because he is capable of similar exploits which require perfect fitness as well as absolute mental equilibrium. Now all eyes are on the 10th round of the World Road Racing Championship in Brno, in the Czech Republic, a track which Régis particularly likes and one where it is possible to do well.


“A summer break devoted mainly to athletic training: that’s just what I wanted. I spent my time doing things I’ve always liked – cycling and climbing. With my athletics trainer, we drew up a work programme which left time to enjoy the mountain life but which was particularly useful for getting into perfect physical shape for the start of the championship after the summer. Of all the climbs we did in the mountains, the most extreme one was certainly the most fascinating. Up at five o’clock in the morning, we first went towards Mont Blanc by the Aiguille du Midi cableway at 3,842 metres, just in time to see the sunrise and then we put on our crampons to make our way up to the top of the Mont Blanc du Tacul at 4,250. It was a hard slog, with four and a half hours walking in the snow. It takes a lot of concentration. The rarefied air and lack of oxygen puts your ability to think and breathe to the test, so you need to be highly motivated if you want to achieve an “extreme” objective. It was fantastic. I’m now ready for Brno, a special track that I really love for its chicanes and changes of direction. I just hope the weather’s not too hot because the tarmac in Brno loses a lot of its grip when the temperature goes up. I also hope I’ll be able to make a good start: the Cube’s clutch problem should be solved by now so I shouldn’t be pushed back right at the start and have to struggle to work my way up as I did in the last races.”


TECHNICAL BRIEFS:

The Aprilia Racing Department Engine Rig



The Aprilia racing department has 7 engine test rigs, a flow analysis dyno and a rig to test different cylinder heads. The engine test rigs are all different and are used for running-in an engine, determining the engine power curve, research and development. All the components, both mechanical and electrical, developed during the year are tested using the rigs. The dynamometric brakes used are both traditional and dynamic; that is, with an asynchronous engine powered using a trifase alternate resistance with variable frequency and amplitude.

The dynamometric brake enables the measurement of the engines power, using a load cell that measures the engine torque. The dynamic engine rig allows to perform both traditional (static) engine tests; engine power at different RPM, partial or full throttle and dynamic engine tests. Using an instrument that measures the torsion between the engine sprocket and the dynamometric brake.

The test defined as dynamic, in reality do not reproduce the inertia of the engine, but can reproduce a lap of the track as performed in reality. The dynamic engine rig can reproduce the engines RPM with respect to time. In order to reproduce the engines RPM during braking the asynchronous engine of the brake in used. This system enables to perform tests on new components, life cycle tests and check engine mapping.

The system described above does not allow to test the engine during gear changing and braking. Recently an engine test rig has been developed that enables these tests.

The engine rigs are very complex, even the traditional engine rig has a complex cooling system made of pumps, heat exchangers that together with an motorized valve ensures a constant engine water and oil temperature.

Furthermore, in order to ensure the repeatability of the tests it is necessary to ensure that a constant temperature and humidity of the air used by the engine for combustion. This problem is particularly important for two stroke engines, where the atmospheric conditions have a great influence on the engines performance.

A system made up of a heat pump and two refrigerators guaranties that the combustion air is at both constant temperature and humidity. This last parameter is also guarantied by a humidifier and a control system.

Each engine rig has a system that allows the choice of fuel and that also measures the amount of fuel consumed by the engine during the test.

The engine rig is completed by a data acquisition system; it is possible to gather information regarding exhaust temperature, water and oil temperature at the engine intake or exhaust. Moreover, it is possible to gather information regarding the oil system and petrol system pressures, the blow-by, and much more depending on the test performed.

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