‘Unnecessary risk’: Does Aprilia need factory orders after controversial MotoGP clash?

Aprilia’s Massimo Rivola believes Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin “both could have done a better job” to avoid their controversial clash at the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix.

The pair were battling for second place on the opening lap of the restarted Barcelona race last Sunday when they collided at Turn 5.

Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez went for a pass on the inside of Jorge Martin, but collided with the 2024 world champion and took him down, while the former ran off track.

The FIM stewards deemed it a racing incident, but tempers flared within Aprilia’s ranks, with Martin shoving team manager Paolo Bonora in the pits. He later apologised.

Fernandez believes Martin was at fault, while the latter thought the opposite.

“Both could have done a better job”

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola told the official MotoGP website on Sunday: “Well, overall I would say that these are the kinds of things we don’t want to see.

“It’s true that there’s, let’s say, a combination of things that could be avoided, from both maybe.

“I would say more from Raul’s [side], but both could have done a better job.

“I think that between Aprilias, we should take a bit more care, especially on the first lap, especially with different tyres, and especially when you are P2 and P3. A bad day from that point of view.”

Trackhouse team boss Davide Brivio somewhat echoed Rivola’s comments that both parties were to blame, though feels Fernandez was well within his rights to attempt an overtake.

“It has been a race accident,” Brivio began.

“Of course, maybe between Aprilia riders, maybe we should talk in the future to be more careful probably.

“But I think from Raul’s [side], he tried to overtake and - I wouldn’t say 50/50 - but I can’t say it’s Raul’s responsibility on that fully or Martin.

“Let’s say, there was a space, if you watch the images. We watched the images, and there was a space, and Raul tried to overtake, as is legitimate to try.

“And then I think Martin closed the line. I think it could maybe have been avoidable. But they both wanted to keep the position, or gain a position.

“Anyway, it’s happened. We will look again, together, and this also is an opportunity to hopefully talk altogether and avoid this kind of thing in the future, especially in a situation when we are with Aprilia [on track].”

Should Aprilia now consider new rules of engagement?

The incident proved costly for Martin, who registered a double non-score for the weekend, with team-mate Marco Bezzecchi able to extend his points lead to 15 at the end of a difficult event for the Italian.

With Aprilia clearly fielding the best package on the grid right now, it is likely facing an intra-team title battle between Bezzecchi and Martin.

But both Trackhouse riders have shown podium-capable form already this year, which is an added complication to how Aprilia manages races.

Aprilia also faces the situation where two of its stable - Martin and Ai Ogura - are leaving at the end of the year, while Fernandez is fighting for his future, something made all the more complicated by Brivio’s announcement that he will depart Trackhouse at the end of 2026.

For now, there have been no public mentions of factory orders.

“As long as the rules are clear, the riders know very well when they can take a risk and when they cannot,” Rivola noted.

“I think there was a bit of risk taken unnecessarily. We lost points everywhere. Trackhouse lost points. So, the outcome is very clear and we should all learn very easily and quickly from this lesson.”

Immediately after the incident, Rivola approached Brivio. But both played down this interaction.

“I just said that we should have avoided that kind of thing,” Rivola explained.

“So, maybe when we are all a bit more calm, maybe we will have a meeting together with all the four riders and remind to everyone that we have just one goal.

Brivio added: “Of course, in that moment, it had just happened by a few seconds and you have adrenaline and everything.

“But there’s no problem. We watched the images together with Massimo and there’s no problem.”