Jorge Martin ‘Couldn’t be Happier’ about Aprilia’s ‘Biggest Leap in Recent Years’
Jorge Martin praised Aprilia’s progress after his first test on the RS-GP. The Spaniard is happy about Aprilia's "biggest leap in recent years".
Aprilia has announced it will bring more current-spec bikes to the upcoming Sepang MotoGP test than ever in the team’s “biggest effort [it has] done”. In the past, the Noale-based manufacturer had been slow at bringing their newest specification MotoGP machines to tests.
Providing just two new-spec machines to the Barcelona post-season test in mid-November of 2024, all four full-time Aprilia riders, as well as test rider Lorenzo Savadori will have two 2025-spec bikes each available at the first official test of the 2025 season.
“Yes, it’s the biggest effort that we have done for sure,” Aprilia Team Manager Paolo Bonora confirmed at the team’s season launch event on Thursday. “We are happy about this, but in particular, we’d like to thank all the people in Aprilia Racing and both teams.”
This effort follows the debut of the 2025 RS-GP at last November’s Barcelona test, where it was tested alongside the 2024 model. “It was a first for Aprilia,” Bonora explained. “But it was one of the key points, to bring the new specification of the bike to understand the comments from the new two riders.”
Those two riders, reigning world champion Jorge Martin and triple race winner Marco Bezzecchi, both arrived from satellite Ducati teams. The pair placed 11th and 13th quickest during their initial outings with Aprilia, each splitting their time between the 2024 and 2025 RS-GPs.
Speaking at Aprilia’s team launch at Sky Italy’s Milan studios, Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola was excited about the changes within the team: “I can’t wait to be in Sepang to see the new line-up. It was already such a good motivation in Barcelona. In fact, even the day before the test was something special.
“We’ve changed a lot. Also with Fabiano [Sterlacchini], we have a new challenge. Let’s say the last thing we miss is motivation! We can’t wait.”
Sterlacchini arrives after a long career at Ducati followed by two years with KTM. He adds: “In motorcycle racing, the combination between engineering and the feeling of the rider, the confidence that they have, is super important. Because a key part of the performance is how much the rider can easily push the bike to the limit.”
“As usual, you have to work in all areas, developing all aspects to not have any weak points. But for sure, for the first part of the 2025 development, we concentrated on the engine and aerodynamics because obviously, we have the homologate those parts at the beginning of the season.”
“Then we are also working on some vehicle and electronic aspects. So we’ve tried to improve the bike for the whole project, let’s say.”
With the arrival of Martin and Bezzecchi, as well as the continued evolution of the RS-GP, Rivola believes Aprilia is well-positioned to chase the ultimate prize: “[Winning] the championship must be our target.”
The team’s best championship finish to date was Aleix Espargaro’s fourth place in 2022, but with eight wins by Espargaro and Maverick Vinales in recent seasons, and now the #1 plate on Martin’s bike, Aprilia is aiming for the top in 2025.
