Marco Bezzecchi, riding for Aprilia Racing, remains focused and unfazed by circulating rumors about his teammate Jorge Martin’s potential departure, as he led practice sessions at the British MotoGP held at Silverstone. Despite speculation off the track, Bezzecchi’s performance in Friday’s sessions puts him in a strong position heading into qualifying rounds.
Bezzecchi Maintains Focus Amid Aprilia Speculation
The reigning World Champion’s teammate spent much of the practice session at Silverstone as the fastest rider on the track, before settling into fifth place after the final time attacks. During this period, Aprilia was at the center of ongoing rumors regarding Jorge Martin’s status with the team.
Addressing these rumors, Bezzecchi firmly stated,
“At the end I don’t focus on any bullshit that is not regarding me,”
demonstrating his commitment to concentrating solely on his own performance and responsibilities.
He emphasized that his mindset has remained consistent over time, saying,
“Fortunately, at the end I feel the same like yesterday or like one month ago or two months ago.”
Bezzecchi also expressed pride in being part of Aprilia, noting,
“my relationship with Aprilia is fantastic and I’m very proud to ride for them, and I’m very happy to have their support on my shoulders.”
For me, [nothing] changed – it’s always the same.
— Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing Rider
Track Layout at Silverstone Suits Bezzecchi and Aprilia RS-GP
Bezzecchi identified Silverstone’s circuit design as beneficial for the RS-GP bike, which usually struggles more on tracks with heavy braking zones. He explained,
“Normally we struggle a bit more in hard braking where I always miss some stability from the rear.”
He pointed out that Silverstone’s braking is limited to a few corners only, specifically turns six, fifteen, and sixteen.
So, the rest of the track is fast and flowing and normally our bike works quite well in that area, so this is why I felt good.
— Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing Rider
He detailed the bike’s strengths and current challenges, saying,
“The corner speed that the bike can have is good, the traction is quite good, the movements are not bad – we still have some issues with the movements, more in braking than in acceleration, but also in acceleration.”
Overall these are the main characteristics of the bike.
— Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing Rider
Importance of a Strong Starting Position at Silverstone
Bezzecchi’s fifth-place finish in Practice automatically advances him to Q2 on Saturday’s qualifying day. He highlighted the advantage of starting at the front, especially since Silverstone offers more overtaking opportunities than some other circuits such as Jerez. However, he cautioned that the race start remains challenging, with potential for incidents in the opening corners.
“It’s always important to have a good starting position, of course,”
Bezzecchi remarked. He compared the circuit to Jerez, where overtaking is difficult, stating,
“Here, fortunately, we have some more overtaking spots.”
Nonetheless, he stressed the risks involved, recalling past experiences:
“Anyway, it’s better to start in front, because also the first two corners are tough – last year I got hit, for example, and it’s easy to make a mistake.”
Anything can happen in the race, so I will try to do my best to be more in front.
— Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing Rider
Testing New Equipment Enhancements at Silverstone
In addition to his track performance, Bezzecchi experimented with new side wings attached to his seat unit during practice, having first tried them at the Jerez test. While he remained somewhat reserved on the specifics, he described their general effect on handling.
They give us some more load in some aspects of the riding. It’s difficult when there is strong wind, but overall they are working well so I like them.
— Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing Rider
Looking Ahead at British MotoGP
Bezzecchi’s steady approach, undistracted by team rumors, combined with his promising pace and strategic equipment trials, signal readiness for the coming qualifying sessions and race day at Silverstone. His confidence in the bike’s setup and his focus on securing a front-row start could influence Aprilia’s performance in this crucial World Championship battle.
