Unstoppable Aprilia: Rising to the Top in MotoGP
In a MotoGP season dominated by the mighty Marc Marquez and the relentless Ducati, Aprilia has emerged as a true contender, challenging the status quo and keeping the red bikes on their toes. But here's where it gets controversial: it's been almost 30 months since any manufacturer other than Ducati or Aprilia has tasted victory in a dry-weather race. And Aprilia isn't just a one-hit wonder; they're consistently pushing Ducati to the limit.
The story of Aprilia's rise is an inspiring one. Over the past few years, they've transformed their game, evolving from a team with sporadic success to a consistent frontrunner. In 2025, they've taken an even bigger leap, addressing their previous weakness - consistency - and becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Let's take a closer look at Aprilia's journey and their remarkable performance over the years:
2025:
- GP wins: 1
- Sprint wins: 1
- GP podiums: 6
- Points: 308
- Standings: 2nd
2024:
- GP wins: 1
- Sprint wins: 3
- GP podiums: 1
- Points: 302
- Standings: 3rd
2023:
- GP wins: 2
- Sprint wins: 2
- GP podiums: 5
- Points: 326
- Standings: 3rd
In the past, Aprilia's RS-GP was a beast on certain circuits, like Barcelona, but its performance window was narrow, lacking the versatility of its rivals. This weakness allowed KTM to edge them out in the constructors' standings in 2023 and 2024.
Aprilia's journey mirrors Ducati's in the late 2010s, when Ducati had a rocket-fast bike on straights but struggled in corners. However, Aprilia is evolving, and as MotoGP nears the end of its current regulation cycle, they've transformed the RS-GP into a prototype that can compete on all circuit types.
"We were incredibly fast on the flowing parts, and that was a signature characteristic of Aprilia," said Massimo Rivola, the team's CEO. "But now, we're also more competitive on stop/go tracks. On average, our bike is getting better and better."
A major turning point came with the leadership change at the end of 2024. Fabiano Sterlacchini, the former right-hand man of Gigi Dall'Igna, joined Aprilia as technical director after a stint at KTM. Under Sterlacchini's leadership, Aprilia has made massive strides, with podium finishes in six out of the last nine grands prix.
They've also addressed long-standing issues, like the bike overheating in high ambient temperatures at certain Asian tracks. While the exact technical steps remain a closely guarded secret, Aprilia's growing consistency has boosted confidence and belief throughout the project.
"In this sport, success is a combination of technique and motivation. You have to believe in your work and trust the results," Sterlacchini told Motorsport. "Consistency is key. If we perform well in one race, it's not just a fluke; it's a result of our hard work and dedication."
For a team that has operated with a one-rider outfit for much of the season due to injuries, this consistency and self-belief have been invaluable.
In the absence of Martin, Aprilia has relied on their 2025 signing, Marco Bezzecchi, who delivered a stunning victory in the British Grand Prix and was poised for another win in Indonesia until a rare opening-lap error.
In Mandalika, Aprilia showcased raw performance reminiscent of their 2024 Americas GP, with Bezzecchi taking pole by a significant margin and recovering from eighth to win the sprint race.
However, building a more versatile bike has come at a cost. Aprilia has lost some of its previous strengths on tracks like Barcelona. In 2023, they dominated with a 1-2 finish at the Catalan GP, outgunning Ducati. In 2024, they maintained a strong presence, with Aleix Espargaro securing pole and a sprint win at his home race. But by 2025, no Aprilia rider qualified or finished inside the top five.
According to Sterlacchini, this isn't a step backward for Aprilia in Barcelona but rather a sign that others have caught up faster.
"Performance is relative. If our bike is faster than last year, it's an objective fact. But if others improve more, they can surpass us. It's easy to draw conclusions from the outside, but we've improved our lap times; we're better, but others have done an even better job."
Despite losing their inherent advantage in Barcelona, Aprilia's overall trend is upward. They may be competing with half the riders, but the RS-GP remains a formidable force, chasing a historic second place in the constructors' championship.
Their chief rival is KTM, which has experienced its own resurgence since introducing a new aero package in Austria. However, Aprilia maintains a 28-point buffer in the standings with four rounds remaining.
"Our focus at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top five in the riders' championship and secure second place immediately after Ducati. That's our reasonable target, given Aprilia's results in recent years," Sterlacchini said.
"We've lost some points due to mistakes and unforeseen circumstances, like in Barcelona, where Marco had two zeroes through no fault of his own. Luckily, Ogura's performance helped us recover points in the manufacturers' standings, but our target remains clear: to finish second in the manufacturers' championship."
As the Indonesian GP demonstrated, Aprilia's final piece of the puzzle is their rider lineup. With Martin and Ogura out due to injuries, they were already down to two riders before the weekend began. Bezzecchi's opening-lap error left Fernandez to carry the flag, but he could only manage sixth, caught up in a battle with Honda's Luca Marini.
If Aprilia can get all their riders firing together, they could pose a serious challenge to Ducati next season.
So, what do you think? Will Aprilia continue their upward trajectory and become a true contender in MotoGP? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
