In this exclusive interview the Aprilia Racing’s CEO, Massimo Rivola, sheds light on the decade-long technical alliance between Aprilia Racing and Sprint Filter. He explores how their deep collaboration has powered developments from MotoGP prototypes to limited‑edition road bikes, and reveals the shared vision that continues to push both brands toward innovation, performance, and racing excellence.
Aprilia Racing and Sprint Filter have been working together for more than ten years, spanning Superbike, the return to MotoGP, and many other racing projects. How important is it, for a factory team like Aprilia, to have such a consistent and highly specialized technical partner at your side?
Massimo Rivola: “I would say it’s a characteristic of Aprilia Racing to have long-term partners. From a technical point of view, this is quite important because once you know each other, you can solve problems much faster: you know what to ask to the partner and the partner knows already what we will ask to him. Stability it’s very important, and having that from the technical side with a technological partner like Sprint Filter is for sure an advantage”.
The level of MotoGP requires components of absolute excellence. In what ways have Sprint Filter air filters contributed to the growth and development of the RS-GP over the years? How crucial is it, in such a complex project as MotoGP, to rely not just on suppliers, but on true technological partners integrated within the racing department?
MR: “Sprint Filter has been a key partner in recent years, since we changed a lot from that point of view, in term of shape of the filter and that was meaning it obviously performance. It’s great to have a partner that speed up when we are asked to speed up, that what is Sprint Filter has done for us”.
Sprint Filter has been supplying the Revo/M2 Racing Team for more than ten years, with whom Aprilia develops the RSV4 both in CIV and in the EWC. What are Aprilia Racing’s plans for the RSV4? Do you think the Production Bike category could evolve also within the World Superbike Championship? It is becoming clear that from 2027 Superbike will also undergo changes, just like MotoGP. Do you believe the Production Bike approach could represent the ideal solution? Will the RSV4 return to being one of the queens of the premier production-based series?
MR: “It’s quite an interesting question. I’m not a fan of the current Superbike regulation, apart from the fact that our RSV4 1100 is not homologated since it’s 1100, while all the categories in the Superbike World Championship are not with one specific cc. I think that in the future the Superbike needs to change the regulation to have a slower bikes, also because even the MotoGP will be slower because of the reduction of the power and other adjustments. So for sure the Production Category would be the direction to take to have more standard bike and at that point, I think Aprilia would be very interested in evaluating coming back on that category, also if that will be in the World Championship. In Italy, in Italian Championship, there was already this year a first approach with the Revo/Nuova M2 and clearly as a first year, there were things to set up in term of technical regulation, but it was a good effort from FMI to start working on that. We are at the disposal of the Federation to have the best possible regulation that can satisfy all manufacturers”.
Beyond racing activities, Sprint Filter is a technical partner in Aprilia Racing’s most exclusive limited-edition models: RSV4 X (2019), Tuono V4 X (2020), RSV4 XTrenta (2022), RSV4 X ex3ma (2024, 30 units) and RSV4 X-GP (2025). All these models feature a MotoGP-derived Sprint Filter air filter (P08 F1-85 family), the same technological approach you also bring to the most prestigious production bikes. How important is it, for Aprilia, to offer customers limited models that integrate true racing-department solutions and confirm Sprint Filter as an indispensable partner?
MR: “This limited edition, which we started six years ago, is a sort of icon for Aprilia Racing. Every year we produce very few pieces of something quite unique and having a racing partner that is also a MotoGP technical supplier, also for the RSV4 and for the X series, for sure it’s a sort of guarantee of top technology and top performance for our special series”.
Sprint Filter is the sole supplier for both the RS 660 Trophy and the new RS 457 Trophy. How important is it for Aprilia to guarantee a uniform, high-quality technical level also in the competitions that serve as training grounds for young riders?
MR: “Having a partner that can support us from the MotoGP, to the RSV4 to the RS 660 for sure it’s the best way to go for us, because they have the full knowledge of Aprilia Racing’s products. The more we know each other, both in terms of people and products, the better it is for reliability and performance”.
Aprilia Racing today is involved on all fronts: MotoGP, CIV, EWC, one-make trophies. What role do you see for Sprint Filter in the future of your racing programs, and how valuable is it for you to have a partner that has supported you without interruption since 2013?
MR: We’ve been working with Sprint Filter for more than 10 years, and as we said, consistency makes the difference. Having a partner that knows us so well is definitely very important”.
From the perspective of Aprilia fans and customers, what does it mean to know that the bikes you race—from the RS-GP in MotoGP to the RS 660 Cup—are equipped with the same Sprint Filter air filters that are also available for production models?
MR: “If I were a fan and I saw Sprint Filter supplying MotoGP, and then I owned an RS 660 equipped with the same kind of product, it would definitely add value to my production bike, whether it’s a 660 or any other model I ride”.
MotoGP is a technological laboratory. Have there been solutions or approaches developed together with Sprint Filter on track that later found their way into production models?
MR: “Anytime you have a partner with a racing background, for sure it brings an advantage, transferring technological know-how to the product that he put on the series, and this is the case for Sprint Filter”.
After so many years of partnership, can we say that Sprint Filter has become an integral part of Aprilia’s racing DNA? How much does this collaboration contribute to strengthening the identity and prestige of the Aprilia brand worldwide?
MR: “For sure, when you have a partner you’ve been working with for so many years, they naturally become part of the team, part of the brand, and part of the product. In this way, they embody the racing spirit and DNA of Aprilia Racing”.
