The twin-cylinder revolution does not stop. Aprilia signs and leads the Vittoriano and Gianfranco Guareschi project that will bring the Tuareg 660 Aprilia to the African tracks. The official driver is one of the best: Jacopo Cerutti
January 27, 2023
Verona, MBE 2023, 27 January. Word of mouth between insiders and that world of special enthusiasts it was instantaneous. Immediate convergence. Piaggio stand. Aprilia. 3.00 pm. What is it about? Aprilia will return to Africa. Aprilia Racing signs and supports the GCorse Project of the Guareschi brothers based on the development in the Racing sense of the new, and already inspired, theAprilia Tuareg 660.
The “Twin cylinder revolution” continues. It’s the second act. In the center the motorcycle that has the evocative inspiration of a great history in its technical and design features. And the Tuareg 660. Aprilia was born in the Off-Road and wrote a creepy chapter in the novel of the Rally-Raid, of the Dakar. The last of the twin-cylinder epic, perhaps the most important because it was born from the challenge of an impossible regulation. It is the story of the RXV 450 Rallythe bike that for three years, from 2010 to 2012 marked the watershed of an all-Italian way of understanding the challenge of the toughest motor marathons on the planet, dragging the discipline into an incredible parable of successes and enthusiasm. The best riders, the best engineers, the best Aprilia technicians wrote what was the last Italian dream of the Rally-Raid.
Today the context has changed, and is still changing profoundly. It’s not just Dakar, it’s not just extreme competition. Organizers, enthusiasts, Pros and Amateurs are realizing it and are pushing hard. It is also a new way of understanding the relationship between competitive spirit and the scene in which this special Sport is experienceda less “pulled” way but much more indulgent with the spirit of the “original” passion, the one that inspired the Adventure even before the Corsa. Aprilia adheres to the new Rally-Raid philosophy and is committed to a large-scale centralized project. It’s about develop the racing character of the Tuareg 660 twin cylinderto bring this development to the richest and most fascinating constellation of the off-road vehicle, to finally bring the motorcycle and a rider of excellence back to where it all began: Africa. This is how Aprilia prepares its return to the Rally-Raid world.
We said almost everything and nothing. The bike will be developed and raced by GCorse. They are the brothers Vittoriano and Gianfranco Guareschi, the latest declination of a dynasty of the Land of Motors that has linked its history to the exploits of two historic Italian brands: Moto Guzzi and Aprilia. Vittoriano tried it right away. He immediately read in the Tuareg 660 the character that called him into question, not only as a dealer. And so the Aprilia twin-cylinder has already taken its first steps in the Italian racing world. Aprilia appreciated and synchronized the initiative with its “environmental” development program of the Tuareg 660. Now Aprilia Racing will be the technical “source”. of the amplification already foreseen of the project, and the Guareschis will be at the same time the authors of the specific developments and of the competitive organization of the project.
That’s all? Heyla, certainly not. It lacks the fundamental link of a Project of this magnitude: the Pilot! The best chooses the best. Aprilia and Guareschi have chosen Jacopo Cerutti, the most technically gifted Italian Driver (and I would say more gifted also upstairs, the one who matters most in Rally-Raids). Jacopo has 6 Dakars under his belt and a brilliant career of 4 Italian MotoRally titles. The project envisages that Cerutti still runs in the Italian and that he is the depositary of the land for the development of the Tuareg 660 in an African key. When? I would have to say that I’m expecting a “zero” participation from Aprilia at the next one Africa Eco Race. But I’m just an enthusiast, they draw up a more intelligent than me more Step-by-Step program how chronological. They will be there, and we will be amazed, when the development lives up to the expectations and responsibilities towards customers and enthusiasts. Alongside Jacopo Cerutti, also a young promise: Francis Montanari. Last but not least, together with Tuareg Aprilia Racing, Aprilia will be present on the Italian Motorally competition fields with its own support structure to the participants riding Tuareg 660 to the newborn classe “entry level” GPX.
Massimo Rivola – Aprilia Racing CEO
“With the ‘Back to Africa’ project, Aprilia Racing returns to the off-road world, to the competitions that decreed its birth. We want to continue to grow in the world championship and in track races. We want to find new talents in our SP 250 Championship and in the RS 660 Trophy, but alongside these activities we are opening a completely new project with the extraordinary Aprilia Tuareg. It is a further sign of development for a racing department that has grown a lot in recent years, reaching results never before achieved by Aprilia”.
Romano Albesiano – Aprilia Racing Technical Director
“We are picking up the baton of a great success story. Aprilia is the last Italian brand to have won a stage in the Dakar and the last podium in the general classification dates back to 2010. We are now only taking the first steps of a totally new project and the 2023 season will serve precisely to start the path that will have to take us back to the great races in the desert, but the bike that will be born will certainly be based on the values that have always represented Aprilia in racing, i.e. the ‘innovation at the service of performance’.
Jacopo Cerutti
“I am delighted to be part of this project, being linked to a 100% Italian brand with such an important sporting history is a great pride. After the experiences with the 450 enduros it will be a new challenge for me, I will get on a twin-cylinder that has enormous potential and I will have a central role on the development front. For a rider, these are exceptional stimuli and I can’t wait to get started”.
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Rally-Raid Breaking. Cerutti, Guareschi go down to Campo Aprilia
