Marco Bezzecchi
There is a general expectation that Aprilia will end up being one of, if not the closest challenger to Marc Marquez during the 2026 MotoGP season.
They ended the year on a strong note, with their machinery winning three of the last four races and looking faster than Ducati.
A lot can change over the winter, including for Marquez, who is recovering from a collarbone injury sustained in a clash with Aprilia’s very own Marco Bezzecchi.
Right now, they would have to be the two favourites for the MotoGP title on form alone. Now it’s down to team preparations and whoever has developed their bike better.
When do you think Marc Marquez will retire from MotoGP?
Albert Valera has predicted Marquez’s future and expects that he’ll be the first rider to make a proper move with a view to 2027 in the coming months.
Bezzecchi knows it will be ‘key’ to not ‘dwell’ on Marquez’s results, especially if he goes on a hot run of form, which he seems to be capable of at any moment.
READ MORE: Marco Bezzecchi reveals whether he will be Aprilia’s no. 1 rider as he hunts Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez must watch Aprilia for ‘very strong’ upgrades at pre-season testing
Bezzecchi expects to share number one status with Jorge Martin over the next 12 months, but they both share the same goal, and that’s to dethrone Marquez.
The Spaniard made up for many of the GP25 deficiencies in 2025, putting the bike in positions that his rivals could only dream of.
But the second half of the season will have stood out to him. Aprilia came on a massive amount and proved that they really can be contenders.
Bezzecchi ‘must learn’ to manage expectations, but the outlook delivered by technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini is promising. Marquez has to watch out for the Noale-based manufacturer’s bike.
“At the same time, there will be a continuation in the development of aerodynamics, a very strong point of Aprilia Racing, in which we believe a lot,” he told the Italian edition of Motorsport.com.
“We have prepared several interesting solutions that we should try in the tests in Malaysia. And then there is a commitment on electronics, after we made the bike a little less aggressive.”
READ MORE: Francesco Bagnaia debunks claims that Ducati are favouring Marc Marquez in MotoGP bike development
Why Ducati should be in a much stronger position compared to how they ended 2025
Ending last season without Marquez on the bike put a bit of a dampener on what was an extremely successful year for both parties.
It opened the door for the likes of Trackhouse and Raul Fernandez to secure an unlikely win, but it would have been fascinating to see just how much more the world champion could have won.
Marquez’s 2027 MotoGP team choice will be ‘difficult’, and a lot may hinge on his team’s ability to develop their bike well over the winter.
Expect a huge effort from Ducati to convince Marquez that they’re going to give him the best chance to win, even though the regulations are changing soon.
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