MotoGP Video Analysis: ‘Amazing what he can see on track. Sometimes I say, ‘It's impossible!’”

Aleix Espargaro credited Aprilia's teamwork, including trackside observations and video analysis by Matteo Baiocco, for a dramatic turnaround on Saturday at the Austrian MotoGP.

Espargaro qualified a surprise fourth just a day after starting the weekend in last place, after two falls, in Friday practice.

The Spaniard then turned his strong grid position into a podium in the Sprint race, as the top non-Ducati, at one of his and the RS-GP’s worst circuits.

“It's probably one of the best Saturdays of my career,” Espargaro said afterwards.

But how did it happen?

“It’s teamwork. We did a good job, especially with Antonio [Jimenez, crew chief],” Espargaro explained. 

“We changed quite a lot the bike. We moved the weight of the rider back a bit.

"And I changed the first chicane. Instead of first gear, second gear. Because I saw many videos with Baiocco.”

While many ex-racers such as Baiocco - a former World Superbike and Aprilia MotoGP test rider - have carved out careers as rider coaches, the Italian, 40, stands out by also conducting the team’s video analysis.

According to Espargaro, it’s a formidable combination.

“Matteo is probably one of the most important people in my team, sincerely,” Espargaro said. “The last three years, how he grew up, how he helped - I guess Maverick [also] - but how we work together with the starts, with the videos.

“It's amazing what he can see on track. Sometimes I say, ‘It's impossible!’

“I believe in him a lot. If he says, ‘Touch this white line’, I go out to the white line. If I crash, I crash. Because it’s amazing what he can see. So it's probably part of this success.”

All MotoGP manufacturers use video analysis, such as overlaying footage of their riders through a particular part of a track with images of other bikes, to help identify strengths and weaknesses.

The exact forms of analysis used and what data they can extract from picture, video and sound recordings of others remain highly secretive. But it’s reached such a high level that the open sharing of GPS data has been agreed between all teams from 2027.

In other words, it’s acknowledged that exchanging GPS data is just a cheaper and easier way to gather the same information already available via complex video analysis.

“Everything in MotoGP is super tight now,” continued three-time MotoGP winner Espargaro. “The level is super high. We are flying already from FP1. So all the small details help.

“Doing data analysis - it's not just video, but also the telemetry - it's amazing what they can do now with the technology. You cannot imagine. It's crazy!

“And apart from that, on the human side, Matteo Baiocco is on another level.

“He goes on track and he can see in one session all the gears that everybody is using. He sees things that are unbelievable.

“Sometimes, I say to Jorge [Martin], ‘You’re the only one doing this corner in third gear’.  And he will say to me, ‘How do you know? Even some of my mates at Ducati, who have my data, don't know!'

“I say, 'Because Baiocco saw it!’ So we have a very strong team in Aprilia and it helps.”

Martin, currently fighting Francesco Bagnaia for the 2024 title, will move from Pramac Ducati and take over Espargaro’s seat at Aprilia next season, when the 35-year-old will retire and switch to test and wild-card duties for Honda.