Aprilia Bids Farewell to Maverick Vinales, Welcomes Marco Bezzecchi: Rivola Confident in Strong 2025 Rider Line-Up

Aprilia regrets parting ways with a skilled rider such as Maverick, yet Bezzecchi was the obvious pick. Massimo Rivola believes he couldn't ask for a better roster of riders for the upcoming season.

Massimo Rivola, the CEO of Aprilia Racing, expressed his disappointment over Maverick Vinales leaving but is extremely pleased to have Marco Bezzecchi on board for the MotoGP 2025 season as his replacement.

"I'm uncertain about the future outcomes. However, I believe the selection of riders for the upcoming season couldn't be more ideal," Rivola expressed on Monday, following the official confirmation of the Bezzecchi agreement.

Following Aleix Espargaro's retirement and Vinales' move to Tech3 KTM, Aprilia is set to introduce a completely new duo consisting of three-time VR46 Ducati MotoGP victor Marco Bezzecchi, aged 25, alongside the current frontrunner for the Pramac Ducati championship, 26-year-old Jorge Martin.

Martin's agreement was finalized in the aftermath of the Mugello race, by which point Rivola was still optimistic about keeping Vinales, Aprilia's victor at COTA, on the team.

"Things progressed swiftly. Rivola noted that he was aware Mugello might serve as an unofficial cutoff for Jorge, and he aimed to be prepared to seize the opportunity. Indeed, that's exactly what happened," Rivola shared.

"Maverick then reached a decision and was quite equitable in informing us beforehand. From Mugello to this point, not much time has gone by, and for me, selecting Bezzecchi was the obvious decision."

The components fit together smoothly in no time.

"Once more, I completely honor Maverick's choice. It's somewhat disappointing, yet ultimately, it presents us with the chance to bring in an Italian rider of such high caliber."

In a surprise move in mid-2021, Aprilia signed Maverick Vinales, a racer who had achieved nine MotoGP victories, following his unexpected departure from Yamaha.

The victory on the RS-GP eluded the Spanish rider for longer than anticipated, as his teammate, Aleix Espargaro, remained at the forefront of Aprilia's efforts during both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Vinales found his groove in the second round at Portimao this year, securing a Sprint victory and then completing an impeccable double win at COTA.

Despite not making a Sunday podium appearance recently, Vinales continues to be the highest-ranked Aprilia competitor in the world championship, holding the sixth position.

"Without a doubt, it's disappointing to part with a skilled individual like Maverick. As previously mentioned, I was eager to witness further collaborations with ‘Austin’, and I'm willing to wager that we'll observe more of such partnerships before the season concludes.

"However, I hold his decision in high regard and believe we shared a truly enjoyable period. It's not exactly right to describe him as lost, but he certainly found himself in a challenging situation concluding his chapter with Yamaha, and we faced difficulties towards the end of 2021."

"I believe in the upcoming 13 rounds, we'll witness a combative Maverick; I'm confident of this. Moreover, my hope and belief are that our journey together concludes on a high note."

"He likely aims to be the sole victor across numerous brands. His ability makes this possible, and that sums it up."

Aprilia: ‘We’re confident we’re making the correct choices’

The departure of Vinales signifies that Aprilia will introduce a completely fresh team for the first time since 2017, a year that saw Espargaro transfer from Suzuki and the addition of newcomer Sam Lowes.

"Rivola noted, 'The single uncertainty we face is the less-than-ideal scenario of switching out both riders simultaneously. However, given the exceptional skills of both Martin and Bezzecchi, I believe we're placing our bets on the right contenders."

"Although it's not perfect, we do have a remote team in place, and I'm optimistic that this team will help maintain some consistency. We'll have to wait and see. Sure, it's far from perfect, but when you have players like Martin and Bezzecchi, you've got reasons to be pleased!"

Rivola commended the contributions of test rider Lorenzo Savadori, highlighting his significant, albeit often underappreciated, efforts in developing the RS-GP.

Rivola acknowledged Lorenzo Salvadori's significant contributions as the team's longstanding test rider. He admitted that while Salvadori may not appear highly competitive during wildcard entries, it's partly due to the team's shortcomings, making him somewhat of an unwitting casualty.

"It's essential to possess the right mindset and passion for your team, production facility, and maker to fulfill your responsibilities. Thus far, we've consistently moved towards the right path."

"Definitely, Maverick's approach to riding has provided a significant boost to our development, especially since Aleix had been part of our team for many years. Having a satellite team also marked a considerable advancement."

"In the near future, with Raul Fernandez receiving an upgrade, we'll see the addition of four RS-GP24s. This represents yet another opportunity for advancement. We believe the design team and the testing crew in Noale are performing exceptionally well."

"Clearly, it's still insufficient, and I'm aware it will always fall short, yet we place considerable trust and dependence on their work."

Explore Further

Recent Updates

Current Headlines

Site Navigation

CrashNet

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying or replicating any part of the text, images, or illustrations in any manner is strictly prohibited.