Marco Bezzecchi wins confidently in Portimao – Nevertheless, he warns against overly high expectations – In his opinion, Aprilia is not yet at Marquez’s level
The 2025 MotoGP season has been the most successful yet for Aprilia. Marco Bezzecchi’s victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix was another milestone. It was the Italian’s second win of the season after Silverstone. With Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez winning in Australia, it was Aprilia’s third win of the season – more than ever before in a single year.
In Portimao, Bezzecchi celebrated his eighth podium finish of the year. This makes him the most successful Aprilia rider in a single season, as Aleix Espargaro “only” managed six podium finishes in 2022.
With one race weekend left before the end of the season, Aprilia’s second place in the manufacturer standings is also confirmed. Bezzecchi is also virtually certain to finish third in the world championship, as he has a 35-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati). Only 37 points are still up for grabs in Valencia. “I’m overjoyed! Of course, it’s fantastic to get a win,” Bezzecchi rejoiced. On Saturday, the Italian had to settle for third place in the sprint and was unable to do anything against Alex Marquez (Gresini-Ducati) and Pedro Acosta (KTM). “I was satisfied yesterday, but not completely, because when you start from pole position, you always hope for a little more. But yesterday, Alex—especially him—and Pedro were stronger than me.”
“That’s why I spent the evening with the team in the pits to analyze where I can improve, where we can make progress. And we found something that helped me overcome my weaknesses.”
“In the warm-up, I felt that I could be in the fight, and the race was really great. That’s why I’m very, very happy.” Bezzecchi set a clear fastest time in the warm-up and was more than half a second faster than the rest.
What was the difference compared to the sprint?
What was changed in the setup of his RS-GP that allowed him to dominate the Grand Prix so confidently? “I don’t know exactly,” Bezzecchi replies to this question. “Let’s say I had the opportunity to watch Alex over many laps yesterday.”
“My lines were certainly not the best. But the guys in the pits also changed something to help me ride less aggressively and let the bike run a little more freely.”
“I found something when braking and I was also able to bring a little more flow into my riding style, which is extremely important on this track. With the elevation changes, it’s crucial to ride the bike smoothly and maintain a fluid rhythm.”
“Yesterday, with the soft rear tire, I was perhaps a little too aggressive. The bike was moving and shaking too much. We tried to find more stability, but the biggest step I had to take myself—through my riding style.”
“I had to avoid the bike making too fast movements and try to ride more calmly. I implemented that, and it worked perfectly. After making these changes, I had a good feeling for the front wheel, and then everything got a little better.“
”That’s why I’m super happy—really, really satisfied with the race. So I think it was a combination of several factors.” Bezzecchi drove home a flawless start-to-finish victory and was never in danger.
Has Aprilia caught up with Ducati?
In his first season with Aprilia, he scored two Grand Prix victories and a total of eight podium finishes, as well as four pole positions and three sprint victories. Aprilia grew stronger and stronger, especially in the second half of the season.
Has it closed the gap on its Italian rival Ducati? “Well, that’s a difficult question,” says Bezzecchi. “But let’s say we were able to improve day by day. Of course, I always believed in the project and always had confidence in my bike.”
“The engineers and the entire factory in Noale have always done an excellent job. It’s true that we struggled a bit at the beginning, but then we were able to make progress. Certainly, we’re not yet at the level of Marc or Alex.“
”But I think we can compete with Pedro, who was also very strong in the second half of the season. However, we have to keep working, we have to keep improving. Hopefully, we’ll reach their level soon.”