Here’s a bold statement: In a MotoGP world dominated by giants like Marc Marquez and Ducati, one underdog has quietly risen to challenge the throne. Aprilia, once a distant contender, has not only become a consistent frontrunner but has also emerged as the only manufacturer capable of consistently thwarting Ducati’s dominance in recent years. But here’s where it gets controversial: while Aprilia has made remarkable strides, its journey to the top hasn’t been without trade-offs. Could this be the year they finally dethrone the champions? Let’s dive in.
For nearly 30 months, no manufacturer other than Ducati or Aprilia has claimed a dry-weather race victory, whether in a sprint or a grand prix. This statistic alone underscores Aprilia’s transformation from a mid-pack contender to a serious title challenger. However, 2025 has been a watershed year for the Noale factory, as they’ve addressed their Achilles’ heel: consistency. While their RS-GP bike was once a circuit-specific powerhouse—nearly unbeatable on tracks like Barcelona—its narrow performance window limited its versatility. This weakness allowed KTM to edge them out in the constructors’ standings in both 2023 and 2024. But that’s changing.
And this is the part most people miss: Aprilia’s evolution mirrors Ducati’s late 2010s era, when the Italian manufacturer had a bike that dominated straights but struggled in corners. Fast forward to today, and Aprilia has transformed the RS-GP into a prototype capable of contending across all circuit types. As Massimo Rivola, the team’s CEO, puts it, ‘Clearly, we were very fast on the flowing parts… but it also looks like we are [now] more competitive at stop/go tracks. So on average, the bike is getting better and better.’
A pivotal moment came at the end of 2024 with the appointment of Fabiano Sterlacchini as technical director. A former right-hand man to Gigi Dall’Igna, Sterlacchini brought a wealth of experience from his three-year stint at KTM. Under his leadership, Aprilia has achieved podium finishes in six out of the last nine grands prix and resolved long-standing issues, such as overheating in high ambient temperatures at Asian tracks. While the technical specifics remain closely guarded, the team’s growing consistency has undeniably boosted morale and confidence.
‘In this kind of sport, part [of achieving success] is the technique and part is the motivation… you have to trust the result of your job,’ Sterlacchini told Motorsport. This balance between technical prowess and self-belief has been invaluable, especially given that Aprilia has effectively operated as a one-rider team for much of the season due to injuries.
Enter Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia’s 2025 signing, who delivered a stunning victory at the British Grand Prix and nearly repeated the feat in Indonesia. In Mandalika, Aprilia showcased raw performance reminiscent of their 2024 Americas GP dominance, with Bezzecchi securing pole position and winning the sprint race. Yet, this evolution hasn’t come without trade-offs. While the RS-GP is now more versatile, it has lost some of its previous strengths on tracks like Barcelona. In 2023, Aprilia scored a dominant 1-2 at the Catalan GP, but by 2025, no Aprilia rider qualified or finished in the top five. Is this a step backward, or have others simply caught up faster?
Sterlacchini argues the latter: ‘Sometimes performance is relative… the others are faster than you because they improved more.’ This perspective raises a thought-provoking question: In a sport where progress is measured against competitors, how do we define true advancement? Aprilia’s focus remains on closing the gap to the top riders, and in the last 10 races, they’ve consistently placed in the top three to five.
Despite losing ground in Barcelona, Aprilia’s overall trajectory is undeniably upward. With a 28-point buffer over KTM in the constructors’ standings and four rounds remaining, they’re poised to secure a historic second place. But the real test lies in their rider lineup. If Aprilia can get all their riders firing on all cylinders, they could become a serious threat to Ducati next season.
Here’s the burning question: Can Aprilia sustain this momentum, or will the competition close the gap even further? And more controversially, is their success a testament to their own growth, or a reflection of Ducati’s stagnation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
