Aprilia debuts F1-like aero on RS-GP bike

The MotoGP test in Valencia this week proved to be interesting for various reasons, but the main one, at least to me, was Aprilia’s very radical, and very unique rear fairing.

There’s nothing new about manufacturers pushing the boundaries in terms of innovation, and in many cases, aerodynamic performance. The winglets you see on every MotoGP bike at the moment are a clear example of this. 

That trend, which started a few years ago, has since trickled all the way down to some road bikes. However, what debuted at the Spanish circuit was not your typical winglet that’s positioned towards the front of the bike, which is designed to give the bike as much downforce as possible. 

Instead, it was a rear fairing that gave off serious Formula One vibes. You see, F1 every car needs the rear wing fitted and working properly, otherwise the car will be retired immediately from the race.

But the ‘stegosaurus’-like rear fairings used in MotoGP, which sometimes come off in the heat of battle, have not always stopped riders from carrying on and finishing races. 

If, and it remains a big if, Aprilia goes ahead and uses this particular new rear wing on its 2026 RS-GP, it’s unclear whether damage to the fairing would result in an immediate retirement, or if it could keep going. That’s a discussion for another day. 

But what we are intrigued about is the wing itself and how it could help the RS-GP, which enjoyed its most successful season ever in MotoGP in 2025, to be even faster.

Aprilia already showed us a similar rear wing design prior to last season, but this is different to that, and a lot bulkier. The purpose behind it could be to generate more downforce in the corners, while the system could also be a way of providing more stability under braking. 

The big endplates were removed as the one-day test went on, as was the entire system for that matter, as a second rear wing was also debuted. However, that one was a lot smaller, and held together by connecting to both sides of the tail section.

All image credit - Gold and Goose.

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