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Aprilia Racing’s CEO Massimo Rivola and Technical Director Romano Sterlacchini have shared their insights after Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi’s first test on the Aprilia RS-GP.
The Barcelona session marked the beginning of the two riders’ Aprilia chapter. Both riders got their first taste of the RS-GP with early signs suggesting the Italian manufacturer is moving in the right direction ahead of 2025.
Sterlacchini was particularly impressed by Jorge Martin’s quick adaptation to the new bike. He thought the switch over from the Ducati GP24 would take the World Champion longer.
“I think that having Jorge, who is coming from the world title bike and is a world title rider, is a big opportunity,” he said. “We now have a clear reference, helping us understand the aspects we must focus on.”
“Even in this short time – half a day yesterday and today – he’s shown himself to be a blend of champion and leader. To be honest, it’s quite astonishing how he’s approaching the job.”
While Martin’s debut was encouraging, Sterlacchini tempered expectations regarding the gap to Ducati. “Personally, I believe that is impossible [to close completely for 2025].
“You don’t need a good person, you need God to understand everything in such a short time. Some aspects are starting to become more clear, but it’s still premature to draw any conclusions.”
Massimo Rivola offered a more optimistic outlook. The Aprilia Racing CEO and now President of MotoGP’s Constructors’ Association believes in the potential of Aprilia’s upgraded 2025 RS-GP and the star-studded lineup. “It is realistic that we will close the gap.”
“Of course, Jorge’s expectations as the world champion are very high, but we don’t want to put pressure on him. It’s a great challenge, and with our rider lineup, we can achieve good results.”
“Both riders reported the bike is very nice to ride under braking and on corner entry. It also has good turning. However, the main issue is consistency – it’s more difficult to repeat lap times with the bike. That’s where we need to focus our efforts.”
Aprilia gave Martin and Bezzecchi the opportunity to compare the 2024 and 2025 RS-GP models. Rivola shared, “They started with the 2024 bike and then moved onto the 2025. It looks like the direction of the ’25 is better than the ’24, so we’re optimistic about taking another step in that direction.”
“Jorge’s feedback was more positive than expected, though we also saw moments where he was fighting with the bike. Interestingly, Marco shared similar comments, giving us a clear development path.”
When asked about Martin potentially running the #1 plate as the reigning champion, Rivola confirmed that the decision rests entirely with the rider. “It’s his decision. Jorge is free to choose. We don’t put pressure on him. Just having the world champion in the team is already a great motivation.”
