Aprilia is starting the 2026 MotoGP season with a lot of confidence—Massimo Rivola talks about increased expectations but also warns of strong competition.
Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola looks ahead after a strong 2025 season and sets out clear expectations for MotoGP 2026. Although last year was good, what matters most to him is looking to the future.
“It was a good season, but you know me, I prefer to look forward rather than back,” explains the Italian. The results achieved would bring with them additional responsibility. At the same time, he is convinced that the current structure of the company allows for more: “The way the company is set up now, it can deliver more.”
In 2025, Aprilia experienced its most successful MotoGP season to date: Despite Jorge Martin’s prolonged absence, the factory team achieved three Grand Prix victories, six further podium finishes, and three sprint victories, all achieved by Marco Bezzecchi. He finished third in the riders’ standings. Aprilia was the second-best manufacturer.
Patience with Martin, podium battle with Bezzecchi
With regard to the rider lineup, Rivola emphasizes that Aprilia is ready to fight in 2026 despite the different starting positions of the two riders. They have “two riders with different stories,” but the goal is clear: they want to attack.
Rivola talks about Martin in particular detail. Both the team and the rider himself need to be patient. “We know his character, his talent, his speed; he just needs to be 100 percent physically fit, then he will certainly be a force to be reckoned with,” believes the Aprilia racing boss.
At the beginning, he says, what is needed above all is calm and time to recover fully physically and then build confidence. Bezzecchi already managed to do that last year. Rivola enthuses that it now feels as if he has been “in the team for ten years, not just one.”
“He has proven his speed, and we expect him to start the season where he left off, namely in the fight for podium places.”
Apart from Ducati: Who else will be dangerous in 2026?
The strong finish to the 2025 season automatically raises expectations. When you finish like that, it creates pressure, explains Rivola. At the same time, we mustn’t forget that Marc Marquez missed the end of last season due to injury.
“That makes all the difference,” says Rivola. “We definitely have to remain very humble and continue working as we have been. Of course, there are expectations for Marco, expectations for the bike, and with Jorge we have to start building a common ground, because we haven’t done that yet.”
Basically, the situation is similar every year: you want to finally get started and see where you actually stand. Looking at the competition, Rivola expects an intense season.
Ducati is being kept in mind, but other manufacturers are also getting stronger. Rivola highlights KTM, among others: “We’ve seen Pedro [Acosta], and I think Maverick [Vinales] will also be very fast.” He also points to Honda: thanks to a noticeable improvement, the manufacturer has lost some of its concessions and will therefore certainly be “part of the game.”
His conclusion for 2026 is accordingly: Rivola expects strong challengers and many good races. “It will be a really nice challenge and exciting racing.”