Aprilia explain key testing goal after "bad race" for Marco Bezzecchi

Aprilia’s quest to improve rear stability and cure Marco Bezzecchi’s qualifying headaches took centre stage at the Jerez MotoGP test.

Returning to action just 24 hours after Sunday’s Spanish MotoGP - where Bezzecchi’s race was effectively over by lap 2 - the Noale manufacturer zeroed in on swingarm and aerodynamic updates.

“It was a rather bad race. I went [wide] and ended up basically in last place,” Bezzecchi admitted after finishing 14th, despite showing a strong pace in the latter stages (see below)

“I lapped well, but the result had already been compromised. It’s a real shame. We’ll continue working hard, starting from the tests on Monday.”

Bezzecchi had been using some new rear aero in the race.

Aprilia’s Monday testing work then saw Bezzecchi put a new carbon fibre swingarm through its paces, alongside other aero tweaks.

The goal was greater rear stability under braking and acceleration - a trait sorely missing in his time attacks this year, with the Italian qualifying just 9th, 9th, 13th, 13th, and 11th so far.

“For sure with the soft new tyre it’s really difficult to ride with so much grip and not having good stability,” Bezzecchi said. “We tried a swingarm which worked quite well and then some aero stuff.”

The improved testing grip, after a weekend of rubber on the track, also helped work on the stability issue: “With more grip, the bike becomes more reactive, more powerful - more everything.”

With gusty afternoon winds at Jerez complicating matters for many, Bezzecchi welcomed the challenge.

“The wind is good for trying aero,” he explained. “If it’s working well with strong wind, probably without strong wind it’s working as well.”

The Italian was seventh fastest and the top RS-GP rider by the close of testing, 0.739s behind Marc Marquez.

Aprilia test rider and temporary team-mate Lorenzo Savadori confirmed the team’s direction: “We try to do more stability on the bike in the braking phase and also in acceleration… to stop a big pumping and movement.”

Team manager Massimo Rivola has made no secret of his belief in Bezzecchi’s race-day potential, but stressed qualifying remains the missing piece.

“If you start 15th and finish P8, you are doing a good race,” Rivola said in Qatar. “The question mark will be - if Marco starts 8th, can he win the race? This I hope that we’ll discover soon.”

Bezzecchi - who has a best race finish of sixth this year - is ninth in the world championship, one point behind Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura, heading into the French Grand Prix on May 9-11.