Marco Bezzecchi is eyeing a major milestone as he fights to become the first Aprilia rider in history to finish third in the MotoGP world championship. The Italian star currently sits third in the standings, five points ahead of Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia heading into the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Aprilia has been Ducati’s closest challenger in the second half of the 2025 season, with two Grand Prix victories and three Sprint wins so far. Bezzecchi’s consistent performances have put him in prime position to make history for the Noale-based brand.
“First of all, it’s super cool to be able to fight for it and still be there with only two races to go,” Bezzecchi told the official MotoGP website. “We’re very happy with our progress. Now we’re in a position to fight, and we’d love to achieve this goal.”
If Bezzecchi finishes the Portimao round with a lead of more than 37 points over Bagnaia, he will secure third place in the championship with one race remaining. Previously, Aprilia’s best-ever finish was fourth, achieved by Aleix Espargaro in 2022.
Bezzecchi knows, however, that the fight will not be easy. “It will be a tough battle because Pecco is super strong, and Pedro [Acosta] is also super strong. But I’m also quite strong, so hopefully, we can keep fighting until the end,” he said with confidence.
Meanwhile, Acosta, who is 31 points behind Bezzecchi, says he is not focused on the standings at this stage. “I think I’m still quite far, 31 points back with 74 remaining,” Acosta said. “I’m not really thinking about it. Let’s see what happens after Portugal. Overall, I think I’m having a better season than last year.”
As the season nears its conclusion, Bezzecchi’s determination and Aprilia’s growing competitiveness could see the Italian manufacturer achieve its best-ever MotoGP finish.
