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Aprilia Rumored to Run with Pneumatic Valves in 2014 MotoGP

The Spaniards at MotoCuatro have got wind of rumored major differences Aprilia would be planning for their ART machines in the upcoming season.
Aprilia rumored to run with pneumatic valves in 2014 1 photo
Photo: MotoGP.com
It seems like Aprilia did not confirm nor deny the rumors, but we would not be surprised at all to see them running with pneumatic valves, just like Honda are now using in their RC123V machines. Given the higher rev range the pneumatic valves offer, one does not have to be a MotoGP engineer to figure out the noticeable advantage such technology provides.

However, the ART machines will still race in the CRT category, so they will be running with Dorna's spec ECU, therefore be allowed to load 24 liters of fuel, compared to the 20 liters allowed for factory teams running with their own ECUs.

Now, the math becomes even simpler: more fuel plus higher revs equals a faster, more powerful bike, and that's good for the racing business. Remains to be seem who will Aspar choose... as Suzuki does not have a factory slot for 2014, and they must tie up with an existing team if they want a shot at glory.

Randy de Puniet is testing the Suzuki prototype and has good relations with Aspar, too... On the other hand paddock whispers mention Crutchlow and Aleix Espargaro as favorites for the Suzuki seats. Quite a soap opera...
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