“Question mark” over new technical direction ticked off by jubilant Aprilia

Aprilia answered a “question mark” over their fresh technical direction at Silverstone, the Crash MotoGP podcast heard.

Marco Bezzecchi delivered his first win for Aprilia, and the manufacturer’s first of the 2025 season, in the British MotoGP.

It came amid their injured star Jorge Martin’s implications that he could quit Aprilia next year. His absence from Silverstone meant the situation evolved without him.

Ultimately it was other unsung Aprilia assets who earned their big win.

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“When we arrived, with the Aprilia situation, it was silent. We hadn’t had any official comment. It came on Thursday morning,” Peter McLaren told the Crash MotoGP podcast.

“It has been a big talking point all weekend - what’s going on? What’s the future? All negative things.

“Then, they end up on the top step.

“Don’t forget this is the first win for the new technical side of Aprilia with Fabiano Sterlacchini.

“There would have been a question mark there.

“Romano Albesiano had led that project from when they came in with the RS-GP to MotoGP.

“It’s confidence to show the riders that we can win, we have a winning package.

“If that’s what Martin was starting to doubt… we don’t know what he was thinking when he watched the race at home.

“Massimo Rivola was asked if he had any idea what Martin would say, and he said no.

“The bottom line is that the RS-GP is back on the top step for the first time since Maverick Vinales at COTA.”

Albesiano was a high-profile departure from Aprilia at the end of last season, when he became the new technical director to spearhead Honda’s resurgence.

Sterlacchini was recruited to replace him after a short stint at KTM. He had also worked at Ducati.

Bezzecchi’s win was therefore the first under the vision of Sterlacchini.

Rivola said: “I'm particularly happy also for Fabiano Sterlacchini because since he joined the team, we didn't get too many satisfactions and now we deserve that."

Similarity to Jorge Lorenzo at Ducati noticed

It was a victory which had been threatened for some time, though.

“It was the perfect timing after negative publicity at a track where we knew the Aprilia goes well,” Peter McLaren explained.

“We knew Bezzecchi had the pace from preseason testing with sprint simulations. 

“Even at Le Mans, he ran off, but Massimo Rivola underlined that he had podium.

“This is not a shot in the dark result. Aprilia have always felt that if Bezzecchi could qualify better, and be further ahead on the opening laps, he could run with the guys on the podium.

“We saw he took his chance at a special track in special conditions on the soft tyre.

“Unfortunate for Fabio Quartararo but I don’t think anyone will begrudge Aprilia and Bezzecchi this result.”

The absent Martin, meanwhile, will return to a garage where his teammate is already a grand prix winner on their bike.

“I see similarities to when Jorge Lorenzo went to Ducati,” Peter McLaren said.

“All the attention was on this multiple-time world champion. Then it was Andrea Dovizioso, sat next to him, who got the wins and the success.

“Bezz has come in at the same time as Martin, so it’s not the same in that regard.

“But all of the attention has been on Martin. But Bezzecchi got the first win for them.

“For Bezzecchi, it’s exactly what they need - the whole team and his side of the garage.”