Marco Bezzecchi
Aprilia already have plans in motion for the MotoGP rider market in 2026 as they look to replace the outgoing Jorge Martin.
Reports have suggested that Martin will join Yamaha in 2027, replacing Fabio Quartararo, who is set to make the sensational move to Honda.
Aprilia prioritised Marco Bezzecchi for the future, tying him down to a new two-year contract after his efforts in 2025. The Italian won three races and finished third in the standings, while teammate Martin suffered countless injury setbacks and was left on the sidelines.
Jorge Martin is back in testing in Thailand! 🙏 What are your expectations for his 2026 season?
His future with the Noale factory was much less secure than Bezzecchi’s. Aprilia delayed Martin’s contract for 2027, which left him to jump at the opportunity Yamaha offered him.
With the Spaniard seemingly off in 2027, Aprilia are faced with finding Bezzecchi’s new teammate. They have identified their target, and they could get a bargain.
Aprilia could sign Enea Bastianini at an ‘absolute bargain’ by waiting until November
Enea Bastianini is Aprilia’s ‘priority’ for 2027 as they look to bring the Italian to the team next year. The Tech3 rider has expressed dissatisfaction at KTM after joining the manufacturer from Ducati in 2025.
He had even tried to break his contract for 2026, but Dorna intervened and ensured that he saw out his contract. But come 2027, Bastianini looks set to be on the move.
But according to journalist Simon Patterson, Aprilia will bide their time to strike a deal. By waiting until November, they could get him at an ‘absolute bargain’.
He said on The Race MotoGP Podcast: “One thing that has kind of come out over the last few days from speaking to Italian colleagues.
“They’re convinced that Pecco’s Yamaha-bound, not Aprilia. The Italian vibe seems to be that Yamaha are trying to build a, what, 2014 Mahindra Aspar dream team of Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia.
“And then the general consensus is that Aprilia will be able to secure Enea Bastianini at an absolute bargain basement price by waiting until about November to sign him.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Enea Bastianini from net worth to career stats
Aprilia could face competition to sign Enea Bastianini
Joining Aprilia would give Bastianini a factory seat, and with the project’s current trajectory, he could be in a position to win races.
However, his move to Noale may not be set in stone. Aprilia could be fighting Pramac to sign Bastianini, with Yamaha expressing an interest in signing the Italian.
Jack Miller is entering his ‘last’ MotoGP season, which would open up a seat at Pramac, while, depending on his results, Toprak Razgatlioglu could be an option for the factory Yamaha team.
Where Bastianini ends up in 2027 is a guess at this point. But for now, he will be trying to get more accustomed to the RC16 at KTM Tech3, which he desperately struggled with in 2025.
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