Aprilia ‘must target’ 2026 MotoGP title after ...

Aprilia has set its sights on difficult Ducati’s dominance in MotoGP, with motorsport chief Massimo Rivola stating that contending for the 2026 title should be its predominant goal. 

Aprilia was the one producer to cease Ducati from scoring a clear sweep of victories in 2024, and it has stepped up its efficiency this yr to turn into a extra constant front-runner. 

In Australia, it dominated the weekend from begin to end, with Raul Fernandez scoring a memorable maiden win for Trackhouse and manufacturing facility rider Marco Bezzecchi ending third regardless of serving a double lengthy lap penalty. 

The RS-GP was additionally the benchmark on the earlier spherical in Indonesia, with Bezzecchi claiming pole by 4 tenths and main an Aprilia 1-2 within the dash race. 

Not because the 2022 season has Ducati confronted such sustained opposition to its hegemony in MotoGP, with Aprilia already claiming two grand prix victories and three dash race wins this yr. 

Requested by MotoGP.com if the Noale-based marque is now able to mount a title bid subsequent yr and take the battle to Marc Marquez and Ducati, Rivola stated: “I feel that’s our goal. It should be our goal.  

“We can not conceal that we’re [not] blissful to win [just] one race or two in a season. We’ve all of the potential. We’ve all the things to win. We’ve all the things to battle for the victory.  

“We’ve the riders. We may have Jorge [Martin] again. We want a correct pre-season. Jorge wants to do this. Clearly, Marco will begin with the season on his shoulders, in order that will likely be a giant expertise for him, however Jorge must study to be affected person and to work on that.  

“Nevertheless it’s good additionally to depend on a powerful satellite tv for pc workforce [Trackhouse]. I am actually blissful that Raul is now there and I am very assured that Ai Ogura will come, as a result of each time we see the progress from Friday to Sunday, Sunday is at all times the day the place he is the quickest.  

“So subsequent yr, Aprilia may be sturdy. Clearly, we do not know the place the others will likely be, however in keeping with what we’re doing and the best way we’re working, I feel we will likely be a part of the sport.” 

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Crew, Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

Picture by: Gold and Goose Pictures / LAT Photos / by way of Getty Photos

Aprilia utterly revamped its rider line-up for 2025, signing final yr’s champion Martin and a number of race-winner Bezzecchi from Ducati’s satellite tv for pc secure. 

Whereas Martin has largely been sidelined this yr as a consequence of accidents, Bezzecchi has established himself as a constant frontrunner, along with his Australia podium serving to him leapfrog manufacturing facility Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia to 3rd place within the championship. 

Rivola stated he has been impressed by each Bezzecchi’s uncooked tempo and his skill to bounce again from setbacks this yr, as he backed him for a title tilt in 2026. 

“He is, for positive, the quickest man on the grid [at the moment] – a minimum of the mixture of Aprilia and the rider,” he informed the media at Phillip Island. 

“The velocity of Marco has at all times been there. There are indicators of velocity which can be fairly clear once you go to a brand new observe, like in India [where] he received. All of the quick tracks [like] Assen [and] Argentina, he was at all times there.  

Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

Picture by: Robert Cianflone / Getty Photos

“In the beginning of the season, we noticed that he was very, very quick. The check in Thailand was actually spectacular for us. And possibly he constructed [unrealistic] expectations to start out [the season] with podiums right away as a result of the velocity was there.  

“Then we moved to Argentina. Once you change the bike, you want a little bit of time to construct your confidence on the efficiency, particularly on the only lap, when it’s a must to get the utmost out of the bike,  

“I keep in mind in Jerez, I keep in mind in Le Mans, we noticed the restoration he made.  

“We noticed that the velocity was there, it was only a matter of placing all the things collectively. So, I feel he will likely be a title contender [next year].” 

Within the MotoGP constructors’ standings, Aprilia presently sits second with 345 factors and three rounds remaining. Ducati leads with 671 championship factors.  

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– The Motorsport.com Crew