Aprilia boss admits Marc Marquez “made the difference” in MotoGP title fight

Aprilia may have won the Qatar Grand Prix battle with Marco Bezzecchi, but they are now on the verge of losing the MotoGP title ‘war’ to Marc Marquez.

Ducati's reigning champion missed his first mathematical title chance in Qatar on Sunday, but still outscored nearest rivals Jorge Martin and team-mate Bezzecchi over the Lusail weekend.

That might not have been the case if Bezzecchi hadn't fallen after contact with Marquez in the Sprint. Either way, Marquez is now 60 points clear of Martin and 74 ahead of Bezzecchi, with only 74 remaining at Portimao and Valencia.

"We didn't give up on anything, we continued to try to improve the bike's performance, the riders' growth; there are so many positive aspects to be proud of,” Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola told Sky Italia, when asked what makes him most proud and most angry about this season.

“And obviously the points lost, thrown away for one reason or another, we take as a lesson for the future. But, as I repeat, there are still two races to go."

Bezzecchi's sixth Grand Prix win of the season is just one fewer than Marquez.

However, the Italian, who was 102 points clear of Marquez earlier in the year, has also suffered no less than eleven non-scores.

That compares with six for Marquez, all of them before his latest shoulder operation in May.

Martin has been more consistent, suffering seven non-scores, but has also taken only one Sunday win.

Marc Marquez "made the difference"

If the championship ends in the current order, does Rivola feel Aprilia lost the world championship more than Ducati won it?

"Won by Marc Marquez,” Rivola replied. “Honestly, he made the difference, he did it again today [in Qatar]. Let's look at the gaps to the other Ducatis.

“The way he managed the weekends, he scored 37 points when he knew he could, he brought home the victory on the most difficult tracks, so hats off to him, to his resume, to his experience, to the way he handles the press.

“It's not by chance, Marc is truly great."

While the riders' title situation looks bleak for Aprilia, they lead the teams' standings by a commanding 124 points over Ducati Lenovo and are just eight behind in the constructors' standings.

"First and foremost, there's definitely the teams' championship, which is essentially what the Formula 1 constructors' championship is, because it's the sum of your two drivers,” Rivola said.

“And then, yes, the constructors' championship is definitely a goal. I honestly think we deserve it.”

Rivola then suggested that the system for awarding constructors' points, based on the highest-placed rider from each manufacturer in each race, should be amended in future.

“I think we should also find a way to change the way championship points are counted, because you have a Marquez who alone... [has played a large part in putting Ducati on top of the constructors’].

“I heard earlier that four Aprilias sometimes aren't enough to beat Marquez. That's true, those are the facts."

Aprilia has never won a MotoGP riders', teams' or constructors' title, while Ducati are reigning champions in all three categories.

Fabio di Giannantonio, sixth in the riders' world championship, is the next-best Ducati rider after Marc Marquez.