Aprilia Racing has announced the continuation with both current MotoGP riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales until the end of 2024.

The two year extension puts to bed the rumours surrounding the two Spaniard’s options with Espargaro’s retirement postponed until 2025 and Viñales firmly committed to getting to grips with the RS-GP and returning to the front of the championship.

Espargaro’s impressive 2022 charge has seen the 32-year-old secure three podiums alongside his Argentina victory with rumours now circulating of a potential satellite team for the coming season after news broke of Suzuki’s impending departure.

“The captain has been part of our history since a long time,” Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said on Espargaro’s continuing role. “I don’t have any kind of doubt that he brought us where we are now and he will keep pushing even more with the enthusiasm that he brings to the team.

“I’m very happy to continue with Maverick,” he added. “I fully trust in his talent and I’m sure that he will show to everybody, not just to us what is his real potential.

“I didn’t even consider options because I do think that continuity and consistently is performance. Stability means performance and we are working not just with the riders but also with the human being, with guys that are part of, well he managed to build a family with us as he call us. And we see Maverick quite inside our family so I didn’t even consider options.”

“I’m very happy, finally that this arrive,” Espargaro confirmed. “We did a good job during the last six years. It’s going to be long time. At the end of ‘24 it’s going to be eight years in this garage, which I feel extremely good on the human side. And on technical side, since I met Romano [Albesiano] in Malaysia back in 2016, I think was or 2015, we start to build a good relation, we start to work together, we have our ups and downs with then when Massimo arrived helps us a lot to organise.

“We always had good potentially in Noale but with the arrival of Massimo we were able to put everything together. MotoGP today is everything about details. Romano did an exceptional job during the last two years and with Massimo as well.

“I’m happy to be able to be the part that shines more on this project but this is all about team and continuity and I’m very happy to stay.

“Now I will be able to be even more focused, more calm on the objective. We have a very big objective in front of us this year and now it will be my time to respond.

“I proved that during, especially last month, last two months didn’t really affect me the negotiations, because the results were good, but I know that it’s not that easy,” Espargaro commented on the unexpected delay to contract confirmation. “I mean, this is a big brand, big factory. So this type of things is normal that sometimes take some time, but I know that they believe in me. I also believe a lot in my potential with the bike that I have this season. So now full focus on the objective. I know it’s going to be a big, big big one but believe me, I think it’s possible, I believe a lot in our possibility. So we try to have fun and go for it.”

“I’m very happy,” Viñales added. “We are very happy to continue with the progress, to continue with the work. It is a boost of confidence for my career to be inside of such a high level factory that is Aprilia and together we are building up a strong team. With Aprilia we are working very close and we are working for an objective, the objective to be in the podium and to be in that victories that I think Aprilia deserves. So very happy and very strong and very good moments in front of us.

“It’s never easy, but as soon as I entered in the Aprilia family, I felt super good,” the Spaniard said on his switch from Yamaha to the RS-GP. “I felt this was my place, to continue to develop my potential and my riding style. When I received the news, I was very happy, very proud and it gives me a lot of motivation to continue and to see what I’m able to do with all the Aprilia factory.”