Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola has acknowledged that the brand’s early dominance in the 2026 MotoGP season is being aided by Marc Marquez’s struggles to find top form. Speaking after the Spanish Grand Prix, where Aprilia placed four riders inside the top six, Rivola highlighted the team’s impressive consistency while noting the reigning champion’s subdued performances as a contributing factor.
“It’s clearly important to get four bikes in the top six here in Jerez; that’s a great sign,” Rivola told Sky Italy. “We’re also benefiting from the fact that Marc Marquez is clearly not in top form; we’ve certainly done a great job this winter.”
Aprilia currently leads all three world championships after four rounds, with Marco Bezzecchi delivering a record-setting start to the season before finishing second to Alex Marquez at Jerez. That result allowed Bezzecchi to extend his championship lead to 11 points ahead of the upcoming French Grand Prix.
Rivola praised the entire Aprilia effort, including the Trackhouse squad’s progress: “We have two really strong riders, and I have to say that Trackhouse is coming along really well. Bezzecchi has the advantage of starting further forward than the others, so he benefits in the race. We’re there, come on, we’re there. It’s a very long season, but we’re confident that the work we’re doing is going in the right direction.”
While Marc Marquez has claimed two sprint victories, he remains without a Sunday podium in 2026, hampered by the lingering effects of a shoulder injury from last October. Despite these setbacks, Marquez was upbeat following a productive Monday test at Jerez, expressing confidence that Ducati had made progress with the GP26.
As the season continues, Aprilia’s blend of rider strength, technical progress, and a fortuitous championship landscape has them firmly in contention for MotoGP’s top honours.
