Aprilia’s 2026 MotoGP target no “secret” after “thrilling” 2025 campaign
Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola says its 2026 MotoGP bike “must be born as a winning bike”.
Aprilia says its ambition for the 2026 MotoGP season is not a “secret” after winning multiple races in 2025.
The Noale factory ended the most recent MotoGP season – which marked 10 years since it re-entered the class as a factory team with the original RS-GP in the final year of the championship’s Bridgestone era – with three race wins and third place in the championship for factory rider Marco Bezzecchi, and with an additional win for Trackhouse's Raul Fernandez.
This success came in contrast to the fortunes of Aprilia’s star signing for 2025, Jorge Martin, whose title defence year saw him complete only four races of the 22 held.
However, it is the success that is the focus of Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola when considering the 2025 season with respect to what it means for the manufacturer’s 2026 ambitions.
“It was an extremely thrilling season that we experienced under two aspects,” said Rivola.
“On one hand, there were Jorge’s [Martin] injuries, particularly serious, and on the other, Marco’s [Bezzecchi] unstoppable growth.
“It was a season characterised by important numbers, including more than 400 points in the Manufacturers’ Championship, and one that lets us look forward to 2026 without making any secret of our goal: to battle for the title.
“I’d also like to thank Trackhouse MotoGP Team who contributed with their results to our technical and competitive growth.
“We know that our rivals are strong, but our desire to improve, cultivated thanks to Fabiano’s [Sterlacchini, Aprilia Racing Technical Director] work and palpable in the air throughout Noale, will sustain us through a 2026 season as protagonists from the start.
“We can’t wait to get to Sepang to test the RS-GP26 which must be born as a winning bike.”
Aprilia was perhaps the standout manufacturer at the post-race MotoGP test in Valencia on 18 November, with a new chassis for Jorge Martin and a new fairing tried by both Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, while Raul Fernandez topped the test with the bike he ended the season on.
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
