Aprilia MotoGP pair Scott Redding and Aleix Espargaro have unwrapped the RS-GP bikes they will campaign in this year's championship during a knees-up at the Noale factory.

Redding revealed he has lost a lot of muscle mass over the winter in an attempt to cut down on his weight disadvantage but said the RS-GP is not as physically demanding as others he has raced.

“The 2018 bike definitely has great potential. We did some comparative tests with the old model both in Sepang and in Thailand, confirming the growth of the new bike with respect to the old. We initially used the 2017 settings on the new bike, but it didn't work for me, unlike for Aleix," said Redding.

"He has a lot more experience with the Aprilia, whereas I, partly because of my physical build, have rather a different riding style. So we started to experiment, even making some gambles, because in this first phase it is important for me to explore all the directions in order to find the right line of development. I am pleased because, despite the hard work and the many things that we tried, I was able to improve day after day in every test.

"I have lost quite a bit of weight. It wasn't easy because I really needed to get rid of muscle, not fat. The fact that I immediately found the RS-GP to be less demanding than I was accustomed to helped me. It requires less energy to ride. I also worked with my technical material suppliers to lighten the helmet and leathers as much as possible, since every kilogram less means shaving off tenths on the track. I am pleased with the results achieved. I have prepared for this championship in the best possible way.”