Marco Bezzecchi on 2026 Aprilia MotoGP bike: ‘Bigger step between 2024 and 2025’

Aprilia MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi believes the 2026 RS-GP has improved, but concedes that there was a bigger step between the 2024 and 2025 versions than there has been this year.

The Italian manufacturer enjoyed its best season ever in MotoGP in 2025, as it scored four victories between Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez, and finished second in the constructors’ standings.

Across the second half of the season, it provided Ducati with a much stiffer challenge, leading to expectations for that gap to close further in 2026.

After the first pre-season test of the year at Sepang, Ducati looks to have maintained its advantage, though Aprilia was second overall with Bezzecchi on the timesheets.

Evaluating the first test, Bezzecchi acknowledges that the 2026 bike is better compared to last year’s, but the gains have only been small.

“The bike is a bit better, I’d say it’s improved a little in all areas,” he said on Thursday at Sepang.

“The character is more or less the same. The biggest change occurred between the 2024 and 2025 bikes.

“This year, there are many changes, but the improvements are a bit smaller. It has certainly changed, but it’s difficult to quantify how much.”

Bezzecchi set his best lap of the test late on the final day of running, producing a 1m56.526s to split the Ducatis at the head of the standings.

However, Bezzecchi wasn’t fully happy with his time attack effort, because “we’re always testing something”.

“Honestly, I expected to do a bit better,” he added.

“I wanted to do a bit better, but it’s difficult because we’re always testing something on the bike and I have to adapt.

“So, I didn’t do the best time attack of my life. But, in testing, that counts to a certain extent.”

Aprilia turned heads during the three-day Sepang test with its updated rear aero, which featured a more aggressive design than to previous years.

“I think, to be honest, in MotoGP, not just for us, but for everyone, we always talk about minimal differences,” he said of the new wings.

“Therefore, it’s also difficult for me to give a sincere answer to all of you questions, because, in the end, it’s very difficult to explain.”