Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi has shared the current rider dynamic between himself and Jorge Martin for the upcoming MotoGP campaign following the Italian’s breakout season with Aprilia last year.
Due to the multitude of injury setbacks that Jorge Martin suffered from during his title-defending campaign, Marco Bezzecchi stepped up and delivered for Aprilia when they needed him the most.
The former Ducati satellite rider proved to be the only name on the grid who could truly challenge MotoGP’s most dominant bike last year, and Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola couldn’t have been prouder of him.
Bezzecchi was a thorn in Marc Marquez’s side during the second half of the season. He showed impressive one-lap pace, as well as an improvement in racecraft, to claim the third-place spot in the riders’ standings by the end of the term.
It was Aprilia’s best-ever result in the MotoGP standings, leading many to believe that Bezzecchi could be Marquez’s biggest title threat in the upcoming campaign.
- READ MORE: Massimo Rivola tells Marco Bezzecchi what he ‘must learn’ before he can defeat Marc Marquez
Finish the sentence: Aprilia will win ___ Grands Prix in 2026
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Marco Bezzecchi says he will share the no. 1 rider status with Jorge Martin during the 2026 MotoGP season
Following Martin’s maiden championship feat in 2024, it was clear that the Spaniard would enjoy lead rider status after he made the move over to the factory Aprilia outfit.
Martin’s injury-ridden campaign, paired with Bezzecchi’s mightily impressive one, may have signalled a shift in rider dynamics at the Italian constructor.
However, even though the 2024 world champion has had minimal racing experience atop Aprilia machinery, Bezzecchi claims that Martin will still remain a priority for the Scorze-based team alongside him.
He told reporters at Aprilia’s 2026 MotoGP season launch, via Speedweek, “I’m very happy with the support of the team and the entire factory.
“It was exciting to experience, because the situation as a factory rider was also new for me.
“The absolute equality between the riders is also very good. It’s not a rumour, it’s a reality that Jorge and I are both number one at Aprilia.”
Rivola has said that he plans for Bezzecchi to be their ‘flagship’, while also sharing Aprilia’s ‘goal’ of retaining both riders into MotoGP’s new regulatory era in 2027.
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Marco Bezzecchi shares his ‘goal’ from the first race of the upcoming MotoGP season
Bezzecchi and Aprilia’s improvements during 2025 were brilliant to see from a neutral perspective, but the Italian rider is hoping for a stronger start to the upcoming campaign so he can properly challenge Marquez for the title.
During the Italian constructor’s launch, Bezzecchi also said, “The fact is, we had a very good second half of 2025, but before that, it wasn’t easy, and we weren’t able to compete at the front.
“We have to change that. The goal is to be better from the start, to finish in the top three to top five. Only then can we think about the future and set ourselves a concrete goal.
Ducati are expected to remain as the benchmark in the early stages of 2026, but it remains to be seen how in-season developments will affect the pecking order.
It’s certainly possible that Aprilia can catch up and even surpass them thanks to their flexible MotoGP concessions ranking for the first half of the year.
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