Aprilia’s latest MotoGP trick on the RS-GP26 came to light following the final day of MotoGP testing in Buriram. A previously hidden duct drawing air from beneath the fairing has now been exposed.
There is one opening on each side, channelling airflow through a new pathway. Until last year, the bike featured a Formula 1-inspired S-duct that collected air from the lower section of the fairing and redirected it to the upper area beside the plexiglass screen. That dual bypass increased airflow velocity, reduced turbulence and improved aerodynamic efficiency.
The obvious question now is: what purpose does this new twin duct serve, particularly if it channels air towards the rider’s forearms?
The technical pairing of Fabiano Sterlacchini and Marco De Luca continues to surprise. The RS-GP26 is effectively a rolling laboratory of ideas, and every test session ahead of its world championship debut requires close scrutiny – because a surprise can be hidden in the smallest details.
Aprilia’s technical director Sterlacchini and its head of vehicle department De Luca have invested heavily in aerodynamic development, pushing certain concepts to the extreme in Toyota’s Cologne wind tunnel after extensive preliminary CFD studies.
With the 1000cc engine regulations in their final year, a surge of radical innovation was not necessarily expected. Once aerodynamic packages are homologated, teams will inevitably shift focus to the 850cc rules coming next season, which – at least on paper – will impose tighter wind tunnel development limits.
Given that this new solution channels fresh air, it could serve two potential purposes.
Aprilia’s rear swingarm
The first is aerodynamic: reducing turbulence in the highly-sensitive lower fairing area, potentially improving cooling efficiency by delivering cleaner, more controlled airflow.
The second purpose could prove just as important in race conditions. Directing fresh air towards the rider may help shield him from the heat generated by the engine and radiators, contributing significantly to maintaining optimal physical and mental performance over a race distance.
On the RS-GP26 bikes ridden by Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, other aerodynamic solutions have also appeared in rotation. The partially-faired rear swingarm first glimpsed at Sepang has re-emerged. Its carbon profile extends downward and features a small recess shaped like a micro-Venturi duct designed to accelerate airflow.
Higher up on the tail section, the two ‘Panoramix’ and ‘Obelix’ configurations have alternated, both still undergoing careful evaluation.
Aprilia heads into the season after finishing runner-up in the manufacturers’ championship for the first time in 2025.
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