If one thing is clear and clear at the end of the MotoGP campaign, it is that the Italian and European factories continue to rule with authority among motorcycling’s elite. Despite the efforts of the Japanese, only one bike remains within the Top 10 of the premier class, ninth is 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo with Yamaha and the rest in a wasteland. Ducati is still on another planet, with six consecutive constructors’ titles, although its Noale neighbors are getting closer and closer. With an inspired and hard-working Marco Bezzecchi at the helm, Aprilia has been cutting tenths off the Desmosedici GP. This weekend, the RS-GP was the fastest in a lap and overall in the race, with an unquestionable victory for the Rimini driver in the rollercoaster of Portimão that leaves the Italian duo two points away from confirming third place in the championship standings.
Pecco Bagnaia’s fall, on another fateful day for the three-time world champion, opened the way to the front in Bez and Aprilia, which is already having the most successful campaign among the majors, with two victories by the Italian and another by Raúl Fernández from Madrid, from the client team Trackhouse. The rise of rider and machine will cut two consecutive campaigns for Ducati on the podium of the Valencia event. With eight podiums on Sunday, and four more victories and pole position on Saturday, the Italian rivals are rubbing their hands thinking about 2026. “Let’s have fun”, said Massimo Rivola, responsible for the project.
The race didn’t have much history, although there was a fight in the middle positions. Bezzecchi got ahead, unattainable by runner-up Álex Márquez, second for the seventh time this year, and Pedro Acosta, who with KTM continues to close the gap with the Italian factories. The Austrians are a little far away, but still much closer than Honda and Yamaha. Since Marc Márquez regained the title at the Japanese GP and was injured the following week in Indonesia, precisely accidentally attacked by the protagonist of the day, MotoGP has seen how the chicken coop has just shaken. Without the rooster on the track, there are four victories for four different drivers, and six in the last six Grands Prix.
On a course in which Jorge Martín was called to lead the Aprilia project with number one on the fairing, the nightmare of injuries interrupted all of the factory’s plans. In Noale they then concentrated on promoting Bezeven more so when the Madrid native launched an unexpected contractual impulse to jump from the burning ship. With the conflict already forgotten, but the current champion still in trouble, everyone
They now recognize the enormous merit of a Bezzecchi who had to lead the development of a machine that didn’t start so close to Ducati.
“Marco did a fantastic job on the track, as did all the workers at Noale, to take several steps forward with our bike”, said Fabiano Sterlacchini, another new and key figure in this step forward. “He had to carry the full weight of developing this project and has the right speed, attitude and focus to one day be champion”, added the Italians’ technical manager.
Aprilia highlights how Bezzecchi, who took third place in the championship in all categories but never won the title, is as quick as he is flexible when it comes to implementing the changes that engineers suggest regarding his riding style and racing strategy. He, however, prefers not to throw too many flowers on himself and is committed to continuing with work that never stops when acting as the flagship of a brand. “The only important thing is to work and continue to improve,” said the 26-year-old driver, a member of the Valentino Rossi talent academy.
The rivals, having seen what they saw, are already registering as the world champion himself had already warned before getting injured. “Without a doubt they are closer than ever. We have already seen that they took a step forward and were simply better than us, at least this Sunday”, admitted Álex Márquez, Ducati’s savior in these year-end Grands Prix in the absence of his brother and the Bagnaia disaster.
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