Let’s talk about MotoGP: why Aprilia will no longer have the right to make mistakes

It’s been just over a week since it became official: Marco Bezzecchi will be Aprilia’s MotoGP rider in 2025, but this also means that the Italian firm will no longer have the right to make mistakes. Let’s review together this signing that has revolutionised the transfer market.

A happy pilot

There is no need to prolong the suspense: I think it is a good move by Marco Bezzecchi. At the time of his election, there was a great deal of chaos at Ducati. The surprising promotion of Marc Marquez to the official team has changed things. Which opened up new possibilities.

Bezzecchi was still in the air of sainthood at Ducati VR46, a team with which he knowingly renewed his contract even though, according to all evidence, he had been contacted by Pramac Racing for 2023. Yes, but there you have it: the team was in a slightly strange interim, with Ducati apparently less efficient than in previous years. His season started very badly, it is undoubtedly one of my biggest disappointments..

The Martin/Bezzecchi duo is better than the current Espargaró/Viñales duo, there is no doubt about that. Photo: Michelin Motorspsort

So, not being able to claim a better handlebar on a worn-out Ducati, it seems to me that the bet of signing with Aprilia is bold but intelligent. He will no longer have concerns about legitimacy linked to his satellite position, which could have led to a situation identical to that of Jorge Martín.He will be an official rider for a very good team, riding a very good bike. And, on the handlebars of a machine that matches his riding style.

Frankly, I don’t see any objection or illogical restriction that could tarnish his signing for Aprilia. It was an opportunity that had to be seized and that could bring great benefits to someone who is in the prime of life..

Aprilia, the perfect signing

It was a great shot from “Bez”, but an even better one from Aprilia.. I fully support their decision, they should not be short of choice. Alongside Jorge Martin, who arrived almost miraculously, we needed a rider with a consistent performance, capable of scoring lots of points all the time, but also capable of winning. The exact profile of Bezzecchi. He is a perfect number 2 in this sense. In addition, he is Italian and will come from Ducati, like Martin, so his bell ringer will be slightly different. By comparing the reactions to the GP23 and the GP24, Aprilia could, for example, evaluate the main development points on which Ducati focuses year after year.

So of course Rivola and his men will hope to find the “Bez” of 2023, and not the one of 2024. Because I have been basing myself on the intrinsic qualities of the Italian since before,
But I forgot that his start to the exercise was out of place.. It’s like it’s not the same anymore. You have to pay attention to this factor, because being a factory rider also means being able to instil victory in the ranks, inspire confidence and be able to embody a project. I have been criticising Maverick Viñales for a long time for not being able to do that – something I still think – but Bezzecchi has shown in recent races that he is not as comfortable with a bike that suits him less.

A factory rider has to adapt to the latest improvements and make them work. If he can’t get used to it or can’t go fast on a bike that doesn’t fit him perfectly, that can be a problem.
Adaptation is a more important quality as a factory driver than as a satellite driver.And it is true that there are reasons to ask questions, although deep down I believe that talent is not lost in such a short time. Bezzecchi is young, he will be able to recover.

No getting lost allowed

Now Aprilia no longer has the right to make mistakesTo dominate a quartet of KTMs, waiting to catch up with Ducati, it will be absolutely necessary to work on the main defects of the RS-GP and, in general, of the Aprilia organization. The window of fire will be narrow,
No opportunity should be missed if and only if Martin and Bezzecchi aim for the top.

Marco Bezzecchi can get back on track, although I still say his 2023 season has been well-paid. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

No other manufacturer is suffering from so many reliability problems. What happened to Maverick Viñales in Portugal (he failed on the last lap when he was second) must not happen again, just as it did at Ducati.
It’s been common for a long time.and we no longer count technical damage (Jerez 2023, India 2023, Thailand 2023) as human damage (Motegi 2022, India 2023) in recent years.

Second point, developing a versatile bike. The Ducati Desmosedici is the best because it is good in all aspects. The base is excellent. In acceleration and braking phases, in slow and fast corners… it is superior in all aspects. Except on certain circuits, where the Aprilia dominates for some reason. It was Catalonia last year, it is the United States this season. That’s fine, but apart from that, it’s westbound on quite a few routes – I’m thinking of Misano, where it was obvious in 2023.To play at a high level, you cannot tolerate such performance differences. In my opinion, it is more important to work on that than on a faster machine, for example.

Third and final point, the exits. It seems crazy to me that this problem has not been solved for three years at the highest level of motorcycle racing.Last year, the RS-GP’s poor starts were paid for dearly. Jerez comes to mind, where, in four laps, Aleix Espargaró has not managed a single hole shot Despite his pole position, according to what the riders say and what we have seen, it is still not ideal despite some progress. In MotoGP today, the start is the most important phase. It can be difficult to recover after two or three missed corners. Just ask Bastianini, who, after a regular start compensated by a very good pace, finished third, seven seconds behind, at the Dutch Grand Prix. You need a good ability to project, to be able to explode immediately, especially since Martin and Bezzecchi are two artists in this field.
So, we must give them a machine that makes a difference or at leastthat does not let itself be left behind.

Conclusion

I think it’s a very good signing that will benefit both parties.If Aprilia manages to resolve the problems listed above, such a partnership could prove very damaging.

What did you think of Aprilia’s choice? Tell us in the comments!

As a reminder, this article reflects only the thoughts of its author and not those of the entire editorial team.

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport