Marco Bezzecchi is still feeling the effects following his crash with teammate Jorge Martin in the MotoGP Sprint at Motegi last September 27. The Bezzecchi Jorge Martin crash continues to have an impact on the Italian rider during the Indonesian Grand Prix, where he is competing despite lingering injuries.
Bezzecchi suffered physical setbacks in the collision, which has left Martin sidelined due to a broken collarbone sustained in the same incident. Martin, the 2024 MotoGP World Champion, will miss not only the Indonesian race but also the upcoming Australian Grand Prix, as confirmed by Aprilia Racing. Bezzecchi, while injured, remains on track but reports unexpected discomfort.
Physical Struggles Amid Track Challenges
At Mandalika, Bezzecchi revealed that though his leg injuries were manageable, his back pain was more severe than anticipated. After completing the first practice day as the fastest rider, beating Fermin Aldeguer by 0.408 seconds, Bezzecchi shared his mixed feelings about his physical condition and the demanding nature of the circuit.
It was a good day for us,
Bezzecchi said following practice.
He explained,
Also, physically still I’m suffering a bit, especially my back that I didn’t expect – I expected to suffer with my leg. But the leg is good and the back is a bit worse.
Adding to the difficulties, the extreme track temperature, which reached 55°C during practice, made tire management hard for the riders. Bezzecchi described the challenges involved in warming the tires sufficiently on such a hot surface.
It’s difficult to put temperature on the tyres, especially the rear, but also the front – as you go harder on the compound on the front tyre, it gets worse and worse to put temperature in it,
he noted.
He continued,
“But it’s strange, this, because normally here it’s super-hot and it was today, also super-hot.”
When able to generate the right tire temperature, he said,
Apart from this, when I was able to put temperature, I felt good on the bike.
Aprilia’s Progress Despite Setbacks
With Jorge Martin’s absence and Ai Ogura’s withdrawal from the Indonesian event, Aprilia has only two riders competing at Mandalika: Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez, who placed fifth in practice. Despite the limited lineup, Bezzecchi emphasized that Aprilia’s performance remains strong.
We are working well and the bike is improving day-by-day, more and more,
Bezzecchi stated.
He added,
“It has been more than one GP now that we are going fast, so it’s positive.”
However, he acknowledged the ongoing need to stay focused as competitors narrow the performance gap.
But, as always, tomorrow all the others will improve and they will be closer and closer so we must keep ourselves focused and we must improve more and more for tomorrow and for Sunday.
Focus on Electronics and Team Efforts
On October 2, Bezzecchi highlighted that electronics remain a key area for Aprilia’s development. He credited engineers for advancements made but expressed the desire for further improvements.
What I feel on the bike is that, for sure, we are missing in some areas and we are, anyway, working on these areas since the beginning, so we already made many steps forward and we improved a lot,
he explained.
He detailed the need for patience during race weekends as the team gathers data and refines settings, particularly on the electronics side.
The races are always different from the practices and from everything else, so we have to try to be patient and collect the data and continue working with the engineers, especially regarding the electronics side.
Bezzecchi added,
“Everything is very difficult to put in the right place, but, yes, a little bit the electronics side we are working on many items and the engineers are doing a fantastic job.”
But we want a little bit more.
Despite ongoing physical discomfort and technical challenges, Bezzecchi’s resilience underscores Aprilia’s determination to advance in the championship. The team’s ability to adapt and improve could be critical as the season progresses, especially with Martin’s absence shaping their competitive dynamics.
