The other day we reported that Giampiero Sacchi could be leaving his role as head of Aprilia’s racing program, latest news have it that Sacchi will be presenting his letter of resignation tomorrow.

Sacchi’s resignation will create a void in the company because he’s been with the company for since the early 80’s in one form or another and he’s the one that brought back Max Biaggi (he used to be Biaggi’s personal manager in 1994 and 1995) to the Aprilia fold for their WSBK project with the RSV4 Factory.

The Italian manager will be replaced by Marco Ferro, who used to work in Aprilia’s PR department when Ivano Beggio used to run the company, and could be officially presented during the Aprilia-Alitialia team launch on February 9th.

Sacchi won’t be unemployed for long because he could be heading back to the GP paddock and working for Dorna.

Source | duegommeslick

Continue reading: Alberto Ferro to Replace Giampiero Sacchi in Aprilia

It’s seems that Aprilia isn’t going through a very good period lately. Beginning with the switch from the 250cc class to Moto2 where the Italian brand was leasing and supplying most of the bikes on the grid and getting good money for them, then the last minute decision on the Moto2 project, that was already in the last stages of completion, leaving several long standing clients in the lurch and finishing up with safety problems related to the connecting rods of the RSV4 Factory and RSV4-R which resulted in a recall of 335 bikes already sold in the States.

Now another problem, rumors from Italy are saying that Giampiero Sacchi, Aprilia’s director of the Piaggio Group racing operations, may be leaving the company.

Apparently Sacchi will not be present at the very high profile Aprilia-Alitalia Superbike team launch on February 9th, unthinkable considering Sacchi’s position in the company and that head honcho of both Piaggio and Alitalia Roberto Colaninno will be presenting.

Continue reading: Aprilia and Giampiero Sacchi To Split Up?

WSBK racing fans are going to jump with joy when they find out that three time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, less than a year into his retirement wants to return to racing.

The 40 year old Australian talking to Motosprint, told the Italian website that he’s in great shape and is tired of being a pensioner and that his new career in V8 Supercars isn’t going well as he expected, (at Phillip Island the car broke down and he couldn’t race) but he want’s to go back to his first love, two wheels.

“I want to go back to racing in Superbikes again. I’ll be looking around at Imola. It’s a shame that Ducati already have their team for 2010, I could have really helped them next year. For sure I’m not going to be a image man anymore”.

Davide Tardozzi, Ducati’s SBK manager for Borgo Panigale, has denied that they can field a third F10: “As soon as he landed last Tuesday Troy told me he wanted to race, how can we satisfy him? We don’t have the resources for three riders.”

If Bayliss truly wants to return, and wife Kim is tired of having her husband moping around the house, there’s going to be a line-up outside his door. According to Italian gossip, Aprilia’s Giampiero Sacchi heard that Bayliss was on the market again and the Italian manager just might think of stealing the Ducati icon, one of Italy’s most loved and admired riders, and give him the RSV4.

Continue reading: Troy Bayliss Wants to Make a Superbike Comeback

Yamaha SBK looks like they’re risking to loose their sensational top rider Ben Spies.

According to this week’s issue of MotoSprint, the Texas Terror has upped his ante in contract negotiations and is asking for a cool 1.1 million euros to ride for them next year, 10% more than this 2009 season.

Spies probably thought Yamaha would immediately jump at the opportunity to sign him on again, no matter what he was asking, considering the fantastic debut season he’s having so far. Spies so far has 8 race wins in 16 races, despite all the mechanical problems that his R1 has given him, and is in second place in the championship standings, just 48 points from leader Noriyuki Haga.

Continue reading: Aprilia wants Ben Spies