Britain’s Sam Lowes has unveiled Aprilia’s MotoGP contender for 2017 which is resplendent in Now TV colours in a big jolly-up at Noale.

Last year the RS-GP made its debut in the Qatar tests, the first MotoGP bike developed entirely by Aprilia Racing to compete in the premier class. Just 12 months later, the all-Italian project must now face an important final exam: the constant progress demonstrated in the first season, with 16 top ten finishes, was reconfirmed during the tests in Valencia, Jerez, Sepang and Phillip Island.

Aleix Espargaro immediately found the right feeling with his RS-GP, especially in terms of braking stability. The Spanish rider was also able to test the 2017 evolution of the Italian MotoGP bike, approving of the progress made compared with the 2016 version and demonstrating encouraging competitiveness during the official tests.

Lowes, on the other hand, could not help but have a different task than his teammate's. The talented English rider must first of all become familiar with a prototype that is very different from the Moto2 bike he has ridden in the past, both strictly in terms of performance and in terms of the riding style it requires. The progress demonstrated during the tests led to reducing the gap behind the best in the category and, much more importantly, improving his sensations in the saddle.

"We are approaching the 2017 season well aware that we can count on a good starting base: in the tests at Sepang and Phillip Island, the team and riders worked very well. On one side, a determined Aleix got straight to work astride the new RS-GP, finding excellent sensations and providing important indications to steer technical development, which is obviously nonstop and concerns all areas of the bike,” he said.

“On the other side, Lowes has made significant progress, getting much closer to his teammate in terms of times. Sam is tackling this new adventure with the right spirit, aiming at building up the necessary experience. The new RS-GP is very nice and none of us can wait to see it in action in the new colours: we are ready for a new and exciting challenge together with Aprilia Racing.”