Aprilia has acknowledged that team orders could become necessary to defeat Marc Márquez in the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, with technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini revealing that the Italian manufacturer is discussing possible guidelines as the title battle enters its decisive phase.
The admission follows a remarkable Indonesian Grand Prix in which Aprilia secured the first 1-2-3-4 finish in its MotoGP history. Marco Bezzecchi won ahead of Raúl Fernández, Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura, while Márquez finished sixth on his Ducati.
Despite that domination, Martín left Mandalika with exactly the same two-point advantage over Márquez that he held before the weekend. The Aprilia rider has 355 points against the reigning champion’s 353, with five rounds and a maximum of 185 points still available.
The situation has prompted Aprilia to consider whether allowing all its riders to race freely remains the best approach to securing the championship.
Speaking after Sunday’s race, Sterlacchini confirmed that the subject had already been discussed internally with CEO Massimo Rivola, although no formal team orders have been introduced.
“It’s good to have this kind of problem, to manage the situation. For the moment, as our CEO Massimo [Rivola] declared, it is completely free,” Sterlacchini said.
The technical director indicated that Aprilia could revisit the question after another one or two rounds, when the championship picture should be clearer.
Why Aprilia could prioritise Martín over Bezzecchi
The decision is complicated by Bezzecchi’s continuing championship ambitions. The Italian has won five grands prix this season and sits third in the standings, 46 points behind Martín.
Although the gap is substantial, Bezzecchi remains mathematically capable of winning the title. Aprilia therefore faces the prospect of asking one of its championship contenders to sacrifice positions for another before the outcome has been decided.
The manufacturer’s long-term plans make the dilemma even more unusual. Martín is set to join Yamaha in 2027, while Bezzecchi represents a central part of Aprilia’s future.
Any decision to prioritise Martín would consequently mean directing resources towards a departing rider at the potential expense of a team-mate who will remain with the manufacturer.
For now, Rivola has maintained that both factory riders should have the freedom to compete. Sterlacchini’s comments, however, suggest that the policy may change if the standings continue to favour Martín.
The situation could also involve Trackhouse riders Fernández and Ogura, whose performances have demonstrated the competitiveness of the RS-GP26.
Their involvement would require additional coordination between Aprilia and its satellite operation. Manufacturer-wide guidelines are not necessarily equivalent to direct orders to surrender positions, particularly when riders compete for different teams.
Indonesian sprint shows why Aprilia fears losing points to Márquez
Aprilia’s concerns are directly connected to what happened during Saturday’s Indonesian sprint.
Despite dominating qualifying, Bezzecchi and Fernández collided at the opening corner, eliminating both from contention. Fernández suffered fractured fingers in the incident and subsequently criticised the Italian’s manoeuvre.
Martín initially led the race but encountered front tyre-pressure difficulties and eventually finished fourth.
Meanwhile, Márquez took advantage of Aprilia’s problems to win the sprint and seize the championship lead, moving four points ahead of Martín.
Sunday brought a complete reversal in the manufacturer’s fortunes. Bezzecchi overtook Fernández for victory, Martín completed the podium and Ogura finished fourth.
However, the result exposed a significant problem for Aprilia’s championship strategy: its fastest riders finished ahead of the rider best placed to defeat Márquez.
Had Martín won the race instead of finishing third, he would have collected nine additional points, illustrating the potential importance of team orders in such a closely contested championship.
Instead, Martín reclaimed the MotoGP championship lead by only two points, leaving Márquez firmly in contention despite Ducati’s lack of pace at Mandalika.
Márquez could face a coordinated Aprilia challenge
Aprilia’s growing competitiveness has already become one of the defining developments of the 2026 season.
The RS-GP26 has demonstrated race-winning performance across both the factory and Trackhouse teams, giving the manufacturer several riders capable of finishing ahead of Márquez.
Indeed, Márquez had already acknowledged the importance of which Aprilia riders finished ahead of Martín before the Indonesian Grand Prix, when he suggested that Fernández and Ogura would be preferable rivals at the front.
That distinction could become increasingly important if Aprilia introduces instructions designed to maximise Martín’s points haul.
For Márquez, the consequences are potentially significant. A coordinated Aprilia effort could make it harder for the Ducati rider to recover positions or limit championship losses on weekends when his motorcycle is less competitive.
Yet team orders would not guarantee Martín the title. Aprilia would still need to manage the interests of Bezzecchi, the independent Trackhouse riders and the competitive demands of each race.
As Aprilia’s domination at Mandalika demonstrated, having the strongest motorcycle does not automatically translate into a decisive championship advantage.
Five rounds remain before MotoGP decides its champion
The championship now moves to Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix, followed by Malaysia and the remaining rounds of the season.
Aprilia’s immediate priority will be to maintain its competitive advantage while avoiding the mistakes that allowed Márquez to capitalise during the Indonesian sprint.
For the moment, Martín and Bezzecchi remain free to race. But the manufacturer’s position could change rapidly if the championship standings begin to establish a clear favourite within its own garage.
Aprilia has the machinery to beat Ducati, but its greatest challenge may now be deciding how to use that advantage. With Martín only two points ahead of Márquez, every position surrendered — or contested between Aprilia riders — could prove decisive.
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