Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi has revealed why he had fears upon signing a factory MotoGP contract that he had ‘always dreamed of’ with Aprilia Racing.
The Italian’s debut season with the Scorze-based constructor has gone relatively well after a fairly average start, which is to be expected when riding atop unfamiliar machinery.
The Aprilia rider currently sits fourth in the riders’ championship as the leading non-Ducati bike in the standings. Bezzecchi’s maiden win for the team at Silverstone started a purple patch for the 26-year-old, with a multitude of podiums coming in the succeeding races.
He’s now within 20 points of leapfrogging two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia in the final four rounds of the term. His fellow VR46 Riders’ Academy member has had a difficult season adapting to Ducati’s GP25.
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Marco Bezzecchi was ‘scared’ due to the ‘responsibility’ that comes with being a factory MotoGP rider
After spending the entirety of his premier class career atop a Ducati bike, Bezzecchi’s switch from VR46 Racing was announced during the middle of the 2024 campaign.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport at the Trento Sports Festival, Bezzecchi recalled how the deal was completed, telling journalists, “I remember when I signed for Aprilia. It was a difficult transition; I was scared, I felt a great responsibility, but it was also what I had always dreamed of.
“We signed at my mother’s house over passatelli pasta, I’ll never forget it. I’ve always been super fascinated by that bike and the company.
“There’s passion there. We wanted each other, it’s wonderful. For me, the bike is like a work of art. I caress it, talk to it and give it a name. This year it’s called Alba Rosa (Pink Dawn).”
The move has definitely paid off. After such a promising debut season with Aprilia, team boss Massimo Rivola has tipped Bezzecchi to challenge Marc Marquez for the premier class title from the beginning of the upcoming campaign.
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Marco Bezzecchi issued an apology to Marc Marquez for his part in their crash in Indonesia
Bezzecchi was the favourite at the Grand Prix of Indonesia, given his impressive Friday speed that turned into a pole position and a Sprint race win on Saturday.
However, he fumbled the start when the lights went out and found himself in the middle of the pack behind Marquez.
Bezzecchi clipped the rear wheel of the Ducati rider at turn seven, sending both riders into the gravel, with Marquez suffering a broken collarbone as a result of the impact.
The 26-year-old immediately issued an apology to the stricken Spaniard, who is set to miss the next two rounds of the season in Australia and Malaysia.
Bezzecchi’s apology was welcomed with open arms by Marquez, who didn’t have any hard feelings over the incident despite the prior bad blood between the two riders due to them being involved in a public spat just a few years ago.
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