Aprilia: Marco Bezzecchi could have MotoGP bikes “everywhere in his house!”

After winning a bet to take home this year’s Aprilia with victory in the Valencia  finale, Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola says he wouldn’t be surprised to see more RS-GPs being delivered to the Italian’s home in future.

Bezzecchi, who sealed third in the world championship despite slipping from pole to fifth in the Sprint, had struck the deal with Rivola on the eve of the final grand prix.

“I won this bike in a bet, because with Massimo I told him ‘if I was able to win three races, then the bike was coming home’,” revealed Bezzecchi, who ‘proposed’ to his bike on the cool down lap.

Rivola said he expected Bezzecchi to be ‘very fast’ this season, after being signed as team-mate to Jorge Martin, but not the complete package he turned out to be.

“I was expecting Marco to be very fast,” Rivola said. “I didn't know that he was such a great worker and team player. And I think these two aspects were the key for the rest.

“And I think that if someone like him keeps being like that - and I see no reason why he should change - I don't know if there will be more bikes in his kitchen or everywhere in his house!

“But he deserves to win the bike…. He grew in an impressive way.”

The Valencia win added to Bezzecchi’s Aprilia victories in the British and Portuguese Grands Prix, plus Sprint wins at Misano, Mandalika and Phillip Island.

“[In the Valencia Sprint] he secured P3 [in the world championship], that was the target. But he was so pissed off - and we were also - because we didn't deliver what really was the potential performance,” Rivola added.

“So we spent time to understand the mistake that we made and, honestly, I went to sleep convinced to win the race.

“That’s the feeling you get when you understand that you are working well and your rider is super committed. And you see the performance.”

Completing a one-two for Aprilia was Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez, whose charge to within 0.686s of Bezzecchi caught even Rivola by surprise.

“Maybe more Raul [was a surprise],” Rivola said. “I know that he's super fast here in Valencia, but he recovered positions, he overtook. So he did a really great job too.”