Aprilia’s Next Move: Who Will Replace Maverick Vinales in the Factory Team?

Who will replace Maverick Vinales in the factory Aprilia seat after his departure?

Maverick Vinales' unexpected switch from the official Aprilia team to Tech3 KTM for the 2025 season led to a special bonus episode of the Crash.net MotoGP podcast.

Although Maverick Viñales has achieved his initial victories with Aprilia this season and was widely anticipated to succeed Aleix Espargaro as team captain upon Espargaro's retirement, Viñales will instead aim to be the first rider to secure wins on four different motorcycle brands.

The Spanish rider will team up with Enea Bastianini in the completely revamped Tech3 squad. However, it's still uncertain who will take Vinales' place as Jorge Martin’s partner at Aprilia.

Podcast host Jordan Moreland mentioned, "It’s likely that the Jorge Martin agreement used up a portion of the budget, but Aprilia still has numerous possibilities." He added, "They are looking for an Italian rider, and the prominent candidates are Bezzecchi and di Giannantonio from VR46."

"Marco Bezzecchi's name came up when Aleix Espargaro commented on earlier speculations involving Enea Bastianini and Aprilia," MotoGP editor Pete McLaren noted. "Aleix was also influential in bringing Jorge Martin to Aprilia, so he likely has insight into the thoughts of Aprilia's leadership."

"It's clear that Bez aims to be a factory rider. Aprilia had made an attempt to bring him on board when he was competing in Moto2, but at that time, their bike wasn't up to par, so he opted for the satellite Ducati team at VR46 instead."

"However, di Giannantonio is also noteworthy. This year, he ranks higher than Bezzecchi in the standings and is likely one of the most undervalued riders in the competition. Despite his youth, he has significant potential for growth. At present, only Marc Marquez surpasses him on a GP23."

"Following Maverick's departure, Aprilia has a few solid options for securing an Italian rider on their roster. They have openings both in the Factory team and at Trackhouse, providing them with some consolation."

"Do you believe that Miguel Oliveira or Raul Fernandez from Trackhouse might be considered?" inquired Moreland. "Miguel has a large following in Portugal, despite his lackluster performance this season. In contrast, Fernandez is showing improvement and is younger. What criteria would Aprilia consider in making their decision?"

"Manufacturers typically prefer not to replace both of their official riders with individuals who have no experience on the bike," McLaren explained. "However, if you are advancing someone from a satellite team, they are at least familiar with the bike."

"Martin is joining the competition, currently at the top of the world championship standings. However, his approach on an Aprilia remains uncertain. Despite his involvement in bike development with Ducati, he hasn’t taken on a leading role in development as he will need to at Aprilia, which operates on a smaller scale with fewer riders. It will be interesting to observe how he adapts to this new responsibility, especially since he has never ridden an RS-GP before."

Given the circumstances, it's likely that the departure of Aleix and Vinales increases the odds for the Trackhouse team. Fernandez has been improving his performance and is set to receive the 2024 bike after the Silverstone event, which will provide a clearer assessment of his standing.

"This year has been challenging for Oliveira. However, the simplest resolution for Aprilia might occur if Oliveira quickly adapts to the 2024 bike and begins to excel. This scenario would involve advancing a rider who has already secured a MotoGP race victory with KTM and is familiar with the RS-GP."

Notably, before Martin joined, Vinales was questioned about who he believed should succeed Aleix. He mentioned that Oliveira's riding style was most similar to his own. However, Oliveira has not yet achieved the same level of success as Maverick and Aleix.

“It’s quite challenging, isn’t it? Aprilia is already facing the departure of the two key figures who have been steering their project since mid-2021. Are they willing to risk losing even more personnel who are familiar with their motorcycle?”

"However, former MotoGP champion Joan Mir is still considering his future options. There's a connection with Davide Brivio and Suzuki that has people speculating. Initially, it seemed like Mir might join Trackhouse, but now it appears he might end up with the factory Aprilia team instead."

"Mir has clinched the MotoGP championship and has raced for the factory Suzuki team. He is currently with the factory Honda team. It seems that his focus is more on performance than financial gain, and he is likely considering the Aprilia seat very seriously."

"Additionally, his ex-Suzuki teammate Alex Rins, who has also demonstrated his ability to win races, could be another contender. The Aprilia's characteristics are likely the most comparable among the V4 engines to those of Yamaha or Suzuki, which are known for their Inline4 cornering speed style. This similarity provides another justification for considering these riders."

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