Bezzecchi (Aprilia) after finishing second: “I just have to keep believing in myself!”

Last year, Marco Bezzecchi was the fastest rider at the Mandalika International Street Circuit – until he collided with champion Marc Marquez (Ducati) during Sunday’s Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the Italian proved in 2025 that the Aprilia RS-GP performs very well on the Indonesian circuit.

On the first day of the 2026 event, the picture was no different. ‘Bez’ set the fastest time in FP1 – with MM93 finishing right behind him in second place. In Friday afternoon’s MotoGP qualifying session, Bezzecchi was beaten only by his Aprilia team-mate Raul Fernandez – the Spaniard set a record lap time. The top three – Fernandez, Bezzecchi and Martin – were all RS-GP riders. Marc Marquez finished fifth, seven-tenths of a second behind the fastest rider.

“It wasn’t too bad. I got off to a decent start this morning, and the qualifying session this afternoon went well too. I’m happy with how things are going so far,” said Bezzecchi, summing up his day during the subsequent media session. He was 0.219 seconds behind Raul Fernandez in qualifying. “Raul is a step ahead of us at the moment, but we’re doing our best to be closer to him tomorrow.”

Had he expected three Aprilias to be at the front on Friday? “I didn’t have any particular expectations. But it’s good for the factory in Noale – they’re doing a fantastic job. I’m happy for them, but it’s only Friday,” said the 27-year-old. “It’s important to make it straight into Q2, but Friday isn’t all that significant when you look at the whole weekend. Saturday and Sunday are more important.”

Did he feel just as good on his Aprilia on Friday as he did last year? “It’s different because the bike has changed a bit compared to last season. The conditions are different this time too. It’s hard to make a comparison here. Nor is it necessary,” Bezzecchi clarified. “The feeling was good and we’re trying to improve.”

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Marco Bezzecchi: “It’s more of an up-and-down ride at the moment”

In the last few Grands Prix, his team-mate Jorge Martín and Marc Márquez were a step ahead of him. Can he turn the tide in Indonesia? “That sort of thing doesn’t happen in a single moment. We’re regaining, step by step, the confidence I had before my injuries,” explained the Italian. “For example, I felt good at Misano too, just like today. But at the moment it’s more of an up-and-down ride. I’m sure I can take that step; I just need to keep believing in myself and keep working on it with my team. Day by day we’re getting back to a good level, even on Friday.”

In which areas are the Aprilia riders a step ahead of the competition in Indonesia? “The second sector is lovely – fast and smooth. In the end, though, it’s difficult to say whether it’s down to the bike or the riders,” mused Bezzecchi. “We’ll have to wait until tomorrow; then, with more laps under our belts and more data, we’ll be able to analyse it better.”

In the World Championship standings, Marco Bezzecchi is currently 49 points behind Martin. He trails Marc Marquez by 47 points.