The fins on the saddle backrest, what are they for?

En MotoGP, Ducati holds the bar when it comes to innovation, but for once, it was not the Bologna firm that was the first to release a saddle backrest equipped with fins, but Aprilia. For the Italian Grand Prix, one of the two RS-GPs of Lorenzo Savadori, test driver for the Noale factory, was fitted with a spoiler placed on the backsplash. We know it, Aprilia deploys enormous resources for wind tunnel tests.

But what good can this do? “This wing is a part that arrived at Mugello, recalled Antonio Jimenez, chief mechanic of Espargaro in the Aprilia team, in the show After Sunday the day after the Italian event. Since Savadori was there as a wildcard, we made him try. These are things that must work very well and for which we must draw as many conclusions as possible on circuits like Mugello or Barcelona which have straight lines of more than 350 km/h. The aerodynamic effect is therefore enormous. Savadori tried it, I believe, in FP1. »

I spy some new aero! 👀@lorysava32 has an interesting winglet on the tail unit of his RS-GP! 🤩#MotoGP | #ItalianGP 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/6dHuV5Ak0V

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 27, 2022

This spoiler aims to increase the aerodynamic load on the rear. “We do this at very high speeds, added Antonio Jimenez. From 250 km/h this already has an effect. It's not just about straights, but also about corner entries. So you may need to rebalance all the settings on the bike. You have to know what you're doing, the effect it brings before using it in GP, ​​and how to adjust it with the rest of the elements, like the suspensions, the chassis. It's very important and it's very delicate. It can work, but you have to know how and when to use it. »

The others in aspiration

The competition was quick to unveil its own version, in a different form, starting with Ducati at the British Grand Prix. “The feeling is good for the moment (…), Enea Bastianini then told Silverstone. I had to go back to the previous version and then tested again, because it's important to understand if it's better or not. My first impression is that it's good, especially during braking phases, it's more stable. And when it comes to top speed, it's not bad. I think tomorrow will be good for qualifying. »

👀 @marcmarquez93'RC213V has leveled up! ⬆️

Have a closer look at the brand-new aero package the 8-time World Champ has tried in Phillip Island! 🔎#AustralianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/qlA924sJyr

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 14, 2022

For Johann Zarco, however, the difference is not so obvious: “I could never tell if there was a difference. Almost unanimously, we couldn't say it. You just had to be careful when going up or down not to break the little ailerons. In theory, it might provide some stability, but in practice, it was very hard to feel. »

We could also wonder if these fins would not be intended to disrupt the air flow of the motorcycles that follow. We know that aerodynamics play a crucial role in MotoGP and when it comes to making a difference, any solution is a good one.

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