Aprilia credits Valentino Rossi for Marco Bezzecchi’s ‘unexpected’ Austria MotoGP pole

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola has credited MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi for helping Marco Bezzecchi to a surprise pole at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull Ring has typically been a bogey circuit for Aprilia over the years, with that trend looking to continue on Friday after both Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin failed to secure a direct Q2 spot.

But Bezzecchi was able to come through Q1 to claim a surprise pole at the Red Bull Ring, taking profit of a tow from Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia to post a 1m28.060s and beat Alex Marquez by 0.016s.

“I didn’t expect it,” Rivola said after qualifying.

“I think we need to thank Pecco, because he did the lap behind him.

“And also Vale yesterday, he came to the garage to give some tips to Marco and they worked. So, super happy. And here, it’s quite strange for us.”

Nine-time grand prix world champion Valentino Rossi is present at the Red Bull Ring this weekend, with Bezzecchi revealing he “worked till late in the night” on Friday with him in the Aprilia garage.

“After yesterday, especially yesterday afternoon, I was a bit sad because I saw some positives but then in the time attacks from the practice I couldn’t really make any lap times,” Bezzecchi said in parc ferme.

“We discovered what was wrong and as Massimo says I really have to thank Vale a lot because he came to the box yesterday and we worked till late in the night.

“Big thanks to him, because it’s always special when he is at home but when he’s here even more. Also thanks to the team, they did a fantastic job as always.”

As well as his first pole as an Aprilia rider, it also marked his first in MotoGP since the 2023 Indian Grand Prix when he was with VR46 Ducati.