Aprilia and MotoGP concessions: will anything change starting this summer?

The streak of 5 consecutive victories in Grands Prix by Marco Bezzecchi with Aprilia between the end of the 2025 season and the start of 2026 is already being viewed in MotoGP with an eye to the future. Currently in class C along with KTM and, as of this year, Honda, the Noale-based manufacturer is expected to move up a grade over the summer. Presumably to B, where there are currently no manufacturers, or even to A, where Ducati has been present for a good three years. In practice, little would change for Aprilia.

Aprilia will remain in concession class C at least through the Sachsenring Grand Prix. Under the regulations, the new calculation on the matter will be carried out after the last round before the summer break and will consider results obtained from the first event after the 2025 summer break (Spielberg) to the last Grand Prix before the 2026 summer break (Sachsenring). If in the period from Spielberg 2025 to Sachsenring 2026 Aprilia ends up having scored between 60% and 85% of the maximum points achievable in the manufacturers’ standings, it would move to grade B. More than 85%, it would move to grade A.

In practice, little would change for Aprilia in any case. It would lose some, if not all, wild cards (from 6 to 3 in grade B, none in grade A) and the number of tires available for private testing on 3 tracks with test riders: currently 93, which would drop to 84 (grade B) or 75 (grade A). All other items concerning concessions would remain unchanged.

Based on rough calculations, Aprilia would be the only one potentially needing to change its concession category during 2026. The most recent change concerned Honda, which moved from grade D (where Yamaha currently remains alone) to grade C starting this season, forcing the golden-wing manufacturer to homologate engines at the beginning of the championship (therefore without development), no longer have open testing with the main riders, in addition to a lower number of wild cards and one fewer aerodynamic update as stipulated by the regulations.