Aprilia reveals strategy to reduce Bezzecchi’s mistakes: “We don’t want to add more pressure”

Key takeaways

• Managing rider aggression: Aprilia Team Manager Paolo Bonora highlighted the need to manage Marco Bezzecchi’s approach, preventing him from over-pushing early in long races.
• Costly mid-season setbacks: Injuries and penalties hampered Bezzecchi’s title bid, including a collarbone fracture at Sachsenring and a suspension at Brno.
• Return to form: A podium finish at Silverstone restored Bezzecchi to second in the standings, signaling a positive turn ahead of MotorLand.

Aprilia Racing has outlined a specific management strategy to help Marco Bezzecchi avoid late-race mistakes and maintain composure during the closing stages of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship. Team Manager Paolo Bonora revealed that the Italian rider has occasionally over-pushed early in races when holding superior pace, leading to unforced errors.

Bezzecchi started his 2026 campaign strongly with victories in Buriram, Goiânia, and Austin, alongside a podium finish at Mugello, positioning himself as a primary championship contender. However, a fractured right collarbone sustained during qualifying at Sachsenring and a race-weekend suspension at Brno following an incident with a track marshal severely set back his title pursuit.

Speaking to the official MotoGP Podcast, Bonora outlined Aprilia’s approach to supporting the Italian rider:

“We need to look after Marco [Bezzecchi] so that he stays calm in the long races and doesn’t feel under pressure, trying to be part of the battle without wanting to win at all costs. We aren’t setting additional expectations and we don’t want to add more pressure,” Bonora stated.

“We saw that he made some mistakes when he felt he had huge potential—moments where he showed he was capable of setting the fastest lap and had the margin to manage the race, yet tried to do more than necessary in the first part of the event. So we need to take care of that,” Bonora added.

Bezzecchi’s third-place finish at Silverstone marked a key recovery step, lifting him back to second in the overall standings behind Aprilia teammate Jorge Martín.

The team strategy updates follow major rider market moves across the paddock, as Pramac Racing and Yamaha confirmed Jack Miller will depart at the end of 2026, Pramac Team Manager Gino Borsoi called Miller’s exit a difficult personal choice, and Jorge Martín expressed high confidence ahead of his MotorLand debut with Aprilia.

MotoGP resumes action from August 28–30 for the Aragon Grand Prix, the 13th round of the 2026 season. GRANDE PRÊMIO provides complete live coverage of every session across all categories. Follow all updates on our news page.

MotoGP 2026: World Championship Standings (Top 5)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. What strategy is Aprilia using to reduce Marco Bezzecchi’s race mistakes?

Aprilia is focusing on removing pressure from Bezzecchi, encouraging him to manage his pace during long races rather than over-pushing early in the stint.

2. Where does Marco Bezzecchi stand in the 2026 MotoGP championship?

Following a third-place finish at Silverstone, Bezzecchi holds second place in the World Championship standings with 219 points.

3. When is the next MotoGP race on the calendar?

MotoGP returns to action from August 28–30, 2026, for the Aragon Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon.