(Reuters) – Spanish MotoGP rider Maverick Vinales will race for Aprilia from next week’s Aragon Grand Prix, in place of Italian Lorenzo Savadori, the team said on Wednesday.
Vinales’ move to Aprilia for 2022 was announced last month after he parted company with Yamaha but his debut was brought forward after a test at Italy’s Misano circuit.
“The decision to have Maverick on the track from Aragon is a direct result of the tests done in Misano,” said technical director Romano Albesiano in a statement.
“We are satisfied with Maverick’s immediately positive reactions, which demonstrated a good feeling both with the RS-GP (bike) and with the team and our work method.”
Aprilia said Savadori, who is recovering from surgery for a broken ankle after a fiery crash in Austria, would have some wild card rides this year and be the team’s test rider in 2022. Spaniard Aleix Espargaro is the other race rider.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, Editing by Bernadette Baum)
