“Without trying to win every time” - Aprilia explains Marco Bezzecchi’s new MotoGP approach
Aprilia sought to reduce the pressure on Marco Bezzecchi at Silverstone, where the MotoGP title contender responded with a pair of podium finishes.
After a nightmare run of incidents, penalties and injuries before the summer break, former MotoGP title leader Marco Bezzecchi returned to form with a double podium at Silverstone.
The Aprilia star’s best weekend since his home victory at Mugello in May also moved him into second place behind team-mate Jorge Martin in the world championship standings.
Earlier in the Silverstone weekend, Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora told MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard about how the factory aimed to help Bezzecchi make a fresh start.
“There was no summer break for us. As usual, we took the opportunity to analyse from a long-distance view what happened during the first part of the season.
“As you probably saw, we experienced everything, the most beautiful parts and the worst parts of the season.
“We understood that, from the technical point of view, the bike is good on each circuit. Only Marco suffered a lot - making [six non-scores in eight races].
“But the other three Aprilia riders still did a good job and, at the end, we are still in the first place of the world championships for the manufacturer, the team, and with Jorge [in the riders’].
“So, the message is, we know the potential of our competitor, we know our potential, and we know the part of the game where we have to improve.”
"Without trying to win every time"
Aprilia's main concern was unsurprisingly Bezzecchi, who scored just 13 of a possible 148 points across Balaton, Brno, Assen and Sachsenring.
“In particular we have to take care with Marco in the long races, to be more calm, and to don’t put any pressure," Bonora said.
"To try to be part of the game, without trying to win every time.
“For us it's a new season [from now] and we say to him exactly this, 'take this opportunity, think about this as a new start'.”
"Probably he tried to push more than necessary"
Bonora added: “We have seen that he made some mistakes where he felt that he had a big potential.
“Where he showed that he can do the best lap time and that he has margin to manage, probably he tried to push more than necessary in the first part of the race.
“So, we have to take care of this.
“The most important thing is that he understood this and he is fully aware of this.
“I like to say to him that he is the same Marco that we love in Mugello.
"He is the same, the same, the same, and he has only to take care of his energy.
"This is the only way.”
The approach paid off at Silverstone, where Bezzecchi, despite still nursing knee and collarbone injuries from Sachsenring, finished third in both races.
The Italian heads into next weekend’s Aragon round 31 points behind Martin in the world championship.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
