Marco Bezzecchi acknowledged that Aprilia’s MotoGP bike has shown slight improvements across all aspects following the 2026 model’s debut at the pre-season test in Sepang, Malaysia. Completing the final day with his best lap time of 1:56.526 seconds, Bezzecchi secured second place overall behind Gresini rider Alex Marquez, signaling a hopeful start to the new campaign.
After finishing third in the championship last season—Aprilia’s best result to date—Bezzecchi is optimistic that the manufacturer’s adjustments could help him match or surpass that achievement. The changes reflect Aprilia’s ongoing effort to fine-tune their bike as they approach the 2026 season.
Details on the 2026 Bike’s Incremental Development
Speaking from Sepang, Bezzecchi described the new RS-GP’s development as noticeable yet modest in scale compared to past upgrades.
“The bike is a bit better, I’d say it’s improved a little in all areas,”
he said. However, he noted that the core characteristics of the motorcycle remain consistent with previous versions, emphasizing that the most significant changes occurred between the 2024 and 2025 models.
“This year, there are many changes, but the improvements are a bit smaller. It has certainly changed, but it’s difficult to quantify how much,”
Bezzecchi added, reflecting both satisfaction and a cautious outlook on the bike’s progress.
Continuing Work to Refine Multiple Areas
Despite the advances, Bezzecchi highlighted several sectors within the package still requiring enhancement. He refrained from pinpointing a single focal point for improvement, instead emphasizing a comprehensive approach.
“Well, there are still many areas to improve, still many parts to try,”
he explained, adding that the Aprilia team is gathering extensive data while he adapts to the evolving setup.
“So, difficult to say a specific one. But we are working in general on all of the new bike, which is looking not too bad. But the engineers still want to see much more data and I still need many more laps to adapt to all of these changes. So, this is the main target for these days,”
Bezzecchi said.
Contract Renewal Eases Pressure, Says Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola
Marco Bezzecchi has secured his future with Aprilia through the 2028 season, an early decision that stands in contrast to other riders who remain uncertain about their 2026 plans. Aprilia’s CEO, Massimo Rivola, believes formalizing this agreement promptly benefits Bezzecchi by alleviating external pressures.
“Confirming Marco so early in the season, I think it proved the fact that since the beginning there was something special between this couple, Aprilia and Marco,”
Rivola said, referring to Bezzecchi and the manufacturer’s unique relationship. He emphasized Bezzecchi’s influential role in providing input for the bike’s development, deeming him
“quite an important part to develop the ‘27 bike.”
Rivola also noted,
“It takes pressure off Marco, and that was the priority. It was our priority to continue with Marco, because we saw his commitment and that there was something special. Also, in his way of working, we get along quite good together.”
Implications and Outlook for Aprilia’s 2026 Campaign
Securing Bezzecchi early allows Aprilia to focus their efforts on refining the RS-GP while allowing the rider ample time to integrate changes before the season intensifies. Although improvements have been incremental, the blend of rider feedback and engineering work aims to build on last year’s successes.
As Aprilia continues to gather data and experiment with various elements across the bike, Bezzecchi’s experience and involvement are likely to remain central. This collaborative approach underscores Aprilia’s strategy to develop a reliable yet competitive machine, poised to challenge the top riders in anticipated battles throughout the upcoming season.
