Massimo Rivola: Pecco Bagnaia’s perfect profile

Aprilia seems to have become the benchmark in the MotoGP championship. Everything appears to have changed in a few months, with Marco Bezzecchi’s first victories toward the end of last season and the start of 2026. The riders’ standings, on the eve of the Mugello GP, show the Italian in first place with 142 points, followed by his garage mate Jorge Martin on 127. In reality, it’s a metamorphosis that began a long time ago, after the arrival of Massimo Rivola in 2019.

The Noale-based company is growing both on and off the track, and the 2026 championship could be the year of well-deserved glory for the men led by Rivola. Before the big revolution expected for next year, when “the bike will be completely different according to the regulations,” the Aprilia engineer explained in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. “I’m very confident, so I’m sure that this Aprilia of today, if nothing changes, will continue to be a strong Aprilia in the coming years as well.”

This MotoGP season began with world champion Marc Marquez not at his best, forced to undergo double surgery. He will return at Mugello, though we still don’t know in what physical condition. A sign of fate for Aprilia—one they cannot afford not to exploit. “First of all, I’m very sorry for Marc,” added Massimo Rivola. “I’ve always said that for us it’s fantastic to be able to face the strongest rider of recent years with the strongest bike of recent years. So I wish him all the best and hope he comes back as soon as possible.”

In Noale they don’t want to make the mistake of thinking they’ve already won. The World Championship is still long, and unexpected events are the order of the day. Everything can still change, so it’s better to think race by race, day by day. This leadership bears the signature of Marco Bezzecchi, whose contract was renewed at the beginning of the year—so far the only official market announcement. Valentino Rossi’s protégé managed to triumph on circuits historically unfavorable to the RS-GP, such as Portimao and Valencia.

He still needs to gain experience and keep a cool head, as in Le Mans, where he settled for second place without making mistakes. “He has to do what Jorge Martin did in 2024: a rider who wins 11 races and doesn’t win the World Championship, like Pecco, is incredible. Instead, Jorge is a rider who consistently scores points... So Jorge certainly has a significant advantage, having already won and lost the World Championship.”

Starting next year, “Martinator” will be a Yamaha rider, even though there has been no official announcement so far. How much can market moves influence the fate of the MotoGP championship? “They will have the same equipment, for sure. And not just them, but all four” (including the Trackhouse team). “We supply four identical bikes, according to each rider’s preferences. One prefers one frame, another a different one. For us, these are four riders who should be winning with Aprilia, so whoever wins with Aprilia, great. The important thing is that Aprilia wins.”

In 2027, Pecco Bagnaia will arrive alongside Marco Bezzecchi. For now, lips remain sealed, even though the deals have already been done. “What I care about in a rider is that he possesses a fundamental quality: hunger for success. If he’s hungry for success, we start from a good base, and if he’s a rider who knows how to work in a team and isn’t an individualist, then that’s crucial.” Does this rider go by the name of Pecco? Massimo Rivola raises his hands and smiles. “It could be...”

If you like Corsedimoto’s content, you can select it as a preferred source by clicking here