A little over a year ago, at the Sky television studios in Milan, Aprilia presented the most ambitious project in its history in MotoGP. New lineup of drivers and new technical director, and all the spotlights focused on the brand new world champion Jorge Martín, who took the number one achieved with the Ducati to the neighboring Noale factory. In the background, more restrained in their attitude and words, were hidden the two key pieces that best explain the sweet moment that the Piaggio group brand is experiencing: on the one hand, Marco Bezzecchi, who had just left the nest of Valentino Rossi’s driver academy; on the other, the engineer Fabiano Sterlacchini, former right-hand man of the premier category’s technical guru, Gigi Dall’Igna.
The driver from Rimini is now the leader of the competition, while the technician can boast of having coordinated the development of the most innovative machine on the current grid. After three grand prix, the Aprilia’s defeat of the Ducati is recognized by the vast majority of the paddock, although from the Italian garage they still want to wait until the end of April, in Jerez, to proclaim to the four winds that they are going for their first title in the premier category. “We have two extraordinary riders and an extremely competitive bike. I am very satisfied with this demonstration of the synergy that exists between the work done in Noale and the circuits. Without a doubt, this gives us even more motivation and resolve when it comes to continuing to develop the bike,” commented Massimo Rivola, head of the troop, from Texas.
The former Ferrari sports director in Formula 1 took up the position in 2019, and since then, the most modest project on the grid – both in investment and personnel – has not stopped taking giant steps. “We have a better motorcycle because we are a better factory. I am convinced,” said the executive at the end of last year in conversation with this newspaper. Then, Bezzecchi closed the season with two overwhelming victories in Portimao and Valencia, and has resumed action in the same way, with a plenary session on Sundays of the three events held so far. In the MotoGP era (2002 onwards), only his mentor Rossi and Marc Márquez had managed to chain five consecutive wins in the premier class.
“Our design office is wonderful, and we have a mix of young people just out of university, historical members of Aprilia and even people from F1. In short, people with a lot of motivation and a good mix. We have everything to fight for the title,” said Rivola in the paddock in Portugal. His greatest pride: seeing the little office lights still on at the factory headquarters when it gets dark and even past dinnertime. This winter, based on overtime and creative solutions – such as the F duct inspired by an invention prohibited to McLaren more than 15 years ago in Formula 1 – the factory has taken another enormous leap that has allowed it to line up the most complete and versatile machine on the grid.
“We have taken a small step compared to last year. We are going faster on almost all the tracks, in fast laps and in pace, but Aprilia has taken a step and a half,” illustrated Marc Márquez, the defender of the crown and spearhead of Ducati, unable to keep up with the pace of Bezzecchi, Martín and company this year. Fabio Di Giannantonio, the champion’s teammate and polesitter in Austin, was even more direct in his assessment of the competition: “We have to work hard if we want to recover the gap, because it is widening.”
Engineers from other factories have been studying the RS-GP’s braking and corner entry for some time, but the department that attracts the most attention is aerodynamics. Another former member of Ferrari leads it, technician Marco De Luca. At the Circuit of the Americas, the Desmosedici equipped rear fins modeled on the latest innovation from their neighbors and new leaders in the paddock, and it is not the first time they have been copied.
The evolution of Noale motorcycles has been meteoric since the arrival of Rivola. In 2020 they equipped a new engine replicating Honda and Ducati solutions, and from there the successes increased: first podium in 2021, first victory in 2022, first double in 2023 and first World Cup finish to close 2025. This season they have already achieved another milestone: leading the drivers’ and constructors’ World Championship for the first time when at the same point last year they were fourth behind Ducati, KTM and Honda.
