Moving forward with Aprilia: Lorenzo La Sorsa talks growth, Badovini's advice, and a hunger for results
StoriesFriday, 10 April 2026 at 09:03
A 2026 full of new developments and fresh challenges for Lorenzo La Sorsa, who continues his journey with Aprilia but steps up to the RS660 Trophy. The interview
One step forward, still with Aprilia. With his only year in the Aprilia RS457 Trophy now behind him, Lorenzo La Sorsa is preparing to make the jump to the Aprilia RS660 Trophy, Pro category, with Team Xgear. The Milanese rider born in 2009, 2023 MES Moto4 champion, will be part of the squad that counts on Valentin Arnaud as its experienced 660 rider, who after the dedicated Aprilia Trophy will move this year to the Italian Sportbike series. He doesn’t hide that he’ll be looking for some advice from his teammate in the same structure to keep progressing, in addition to the guidance he always receives from Ayrton Badovini. We caught up with the young rider (and let’s not forget student); here’s what he told us.
Tell us about your plans for 2026.
I’ll race in the Aprilia RS660 Trophy with Team Xgear. We’re continuing the Aprilia project that started in the CIV with the 250 and continued last year with the RS457 Trophy. Our sponsors have given us a big hand and we’ve managed to take this path, this growth journey.
An interesting change—how are you preparing?
In terms of chassis it’s similar; the 660 is kind of the “mother” of the 457, but when it comes to the engine you’ve got almost double the power, and acceleration, braking, and reaction times all change. I’m training on any bike I can to adapt as quickly as possible at the start of the season—it’s going to be a year full of changes.
Have you already tested the bike?
Yes, on March 29 at Mugello and on April 6 at Misano on a day dedicated to the 600s. The feeling was great right from the start—performance and emotions kept building. There’s still work to do to improve step by step, but the tests were already very positive.
You’re coming from the Aprilia RS457 Trophy—how did it go?
I felt very good; it’s definitely a very formative championship that gives you the chance to get into the big CIV and World Championship tracks… But the season wasn’t what I expected; I could have done better. I’m not 100% satisfied, mainly due to some unlucky episodes. I finished 5th in the championship, but I knew I could do more.
What do you think you learned, and what do you need to work on the most?
What I learned, simply put, was getting to know all the Italian tracks—there were a few I was missing. A point I need to improve is the fast lap; I needed to be more incisive, but I could never quite put all the pieces together. I’m working hard on that to improve for this season.
How is school going alongside racing?
The workload sometimes increases and sometimes decreases, but on average it stays about the same. As a student-athlete, though, I do get a bit of help, both with absences and with scheduling tests or oral exams.
Can you tell us a bit more about your collaboration with Ayrton Badovini?
We met several years ago—he was the coach of the team I was part of. A friendship was born right away, along with a strong mutual respect that has lasted over time: I still go to him to tweak training plans, to ask for advice, to get help making the best decisions for my path. He’s truly a member of the family.
Has he given you any specific advice on track?
Yes, of course—a lot. And when he can’t be there, he calls me: I tell him my feelings, what’s working or not at the end of the day, and together we look for a solution. If I have to choose one piece of advice, I’d say this: everyone adapts at a different pace. Some are faster, some slower, but everyone gets there sooner or later. More than advice, I’d say it was support that helped me stay calmer in moments when I couldn’t get results. Of course, I shouldn’t take too long! [laughs] Sometimes I focused too much on the result, whereas you need various steps to learn and grow before you can get to that result.
What are the goals for 2026?
I need to work on improving my weak points—that’s definitely the first goal of the season. Then I’d say becoming more aggressive with overtakes—I need to do a bit more. Those are the first objectives to set me up to do well.
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