The fiercest Aprilia is in the running to take on Ducati for MotoGP victory

After being the second best brand in the championship, Marco Bezzecchi 3 wins and 9 podiums in GP races to be the 3rd best driver of 2025 aprilia racing It was presented in Milan this Thursday. Significant changes have been made to the fairing, including the elegant decoration based on the already familiar black color and the re-incorporation of the lion’s head surrounding the second part of the “a” of Aprilia’s name on the fairing.

“A major change in the livery of the RS-GP26, which maintains the emblematic colors of Aprilia Racing, is the presence of a lion, a noble symbol of our history. The Arato Lion, the symbol of Venetia apart, embodies values that perfectly reflect the identity of the team and its riders: power, strength, determination and courage. It is the symbol of a team that never surrenders, that perseveres in the face of difficulties and that can grow stronger and stronger,” they explain.

Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin Although they share Aprilia’s official team for the second year in a row, their roles in the presentation have changed. In 2025, they acquired world champion Jorge Martin and his No. 1 shirt, making him the absolute center of attention, but this time Marco Bezzecchi will take on more stripes, while Martin insists on regaining ground lost due to repeated injuries.

However, “Bez”, who will take third place in 2025, is wearing sheep’s clothing. “We want to start like we finished. Last year we laid the base and we have to stay calm and focused, we know what we are capable of and we have to be calm. We have to work to improve further with the engineers and I will also improve my skills as a driver and the way I approach the race. The goal is to get a better start,” said the Rimini native. A few days ago, when the Olympic torch passed through his hometown, he was one of the bearers heading to Milan.

Jorge Martin was cautious in his speech after stopping number 1 and retrieving number 89. “This winter was important for me to prepare for 2026, because I need to come back. What I learned last year is not to do more than I am capable of. I am not in a hurry. Then something happens and I don’t want to repeat the same thing. I missed a lot of races and I need to get my confidence back. Once I get more attached to the bike, I’m sure when I’m 100% I’ll be ready to win again.”

happy with new decoration

Both Marco and Jorge are happy with the addition of winged lion heads to their bikes. “It’s good to see the Lion again. Its historic design looks aggressive and is a very strong character that distinguishes people from the factory and from the team. They are always very motivated and we want to take it to the right place. The bike is very different from last year and looks like a very aggressive black bike. It’s a pleasure to be an Aprilia rider.”

As for Jorge, “I really like the new bike. Lion is the most representative animal for us now. They hired me to win and that’s what I want to do. Marco and I can do that. I know Fabiano (Stelracchini, technical director) has done a great job. We already saw it in Valencia and we need to see it in Malaysia and Thailand as well.”

Massimo Rivola Aprilia Racing’s CEO reflected on 2025: “It was a great season, but we have to move on. This result gives us even more responsibility. We have two riders with different stories who came out victorious from the battle.”

“They are in different grades. With Jorge we have to be patient and he has to be patient too. He has to be physically good and show everything. We already expect Marco to fight for the podium from the start,” he warned.

He recalled having a clean slate in 2025 with two new riders, Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, and a new technical director, Fabiano Sterracchini, and was full of praise for the engineers, who delivered a very competitive bike and which the Ceste test showed had also revamped aerodynamics. “We’ve integrated quickly and in a very natural way and we’re going to do a lot more in the future.” He also praised Trackhouse’s client team, saying, “We’re very happy with them. They’re not just clients, they’re ideal partners. Raul (Fernandez) has finally shown his talent, so I expect a lot from him. Also from Ogura with some competitive bikes.”