Rivola (Aprilia) on the title race: Aragon could be the decisive round

Aprilia enjoyed a perfect weekend at Silverstone. In both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, the podium was made up entirely of RS-GP riders. In the World Championship standings, Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura occupy first, second and third places respectively. Raúl Fernández is currently sixth, but is only 19 points off third place.

At the British Grand Prix, the Noale-based manufacturer also got off to a perfect start to the second half of the season. In the remaining ten rounds of the 2026 MotoGP season, the title race will become increasingly intense. As there is no dominant rider this year, the battle for the riders’ world championship crown is particularly exciting.

The Silverstone Circuit is Aprilia’s favourite track; the layout, with its fast corners, suits the strengths of the RS-GP very well. However, there will be other circuits where Ducati has the advantage. How well prepared is the Noale-based manufacturer for the second half of the season? “In the past, we’ve always struggled in the second half of the season. Last year we were very strong. But I don’t think much will change this year between the first and second halves of the season,” said Aprilia’s racing director Massimo Rivola, dismissing the suggestion. “The main thing is the riders’ physical condition. Jorge is in good shape. As for Marco: fortunately, we have an extra week before Aragon for him to recover. However, we know that Aragon is a track that suits Marc (Márquez). Aragon could be the event that gives us an idea of who the real title contenders will be.”

Willkommen zum Rennen in Silverstone

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Marco Bezzecchi

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Fans

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Raúl Fernández

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Jorge Martin

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Start des Rennens

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Start des Rennens

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Alex Márquez und Pedro Acosta

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Jorge Martin

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Luca Marini

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Marc und Alex Márquez

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Raúl Fernández

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Pecco Bagnaia

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Marco Bezzecchi

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Marc Márquez und Fabio Di Giannantonio

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Moreira und Quartararo

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Raúl Fernández gewinnt das Rennen

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Silverstone-Sieger Raúl Fernández

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Martin, Fernández, Bezzecchi

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Sieger Raúl Fernández

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Willkommen zum Rennen in Silverstone

© Gold & Goose

The RS-GP is currently the best bike on the grid. How can Aprilia make a difference at the moment? “There are circuits that suit our bike better, whilst others suit the Ducati or other riders,” Rivola admitted. “I think we’re at a similar level. But the fact that we’re at this level is down to the lads in Noale, because the gap used to be bigger. Fabiano and everyone in Noale deserve a huge thank you. We simply work well together and believe we can do it.”

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28.08.2026 - 08:55

Rivola: “I think we’ll be competitive right through to the end of the 2026 season and next year as well”

All manufacturers are currently pouring a lot of development resources into the 850cc project for 2027. At the same time, the 1000cc bike needs to be further improved in order to clinch the MotoGP title this year. How can this be managed? “I think we’ll be competitive by the end of the 2026 season and next year as well. But as I’ve already said – we’ll have to fight hard on some circuits, whilst on others we’ll be strong,” replied the Italian.

“Unfortunately, we’re a prime example of how to fight your way back from a difficult situation with all your heart!”

Massimo Rivola

After a brilliant first third of the season, Marco Bezzecchi has suffered a number of setbacks in recent months. Poor results, the incident with the marshal at Brno and the broken collarbone at the Sachsenring threw the Italian off course. At Silverstone, he made a comeback in the World Championship battle with two third-place finishes. How difficult was it to get ‘Bez’ back on track? “When you see a rider put in a performance like that after the difficulties he faced in the morning, you can imagine what a big heart he has,” emphasised Rivola, referring to Bezzecchi’s performance on Sunday at Silverstone. “We saw it with Jorge last year too – unfortunately, we’re a good example of how to fight your way back from a difficult situation with all your heart. Last year it was Jorge, this year it’s Marco. And once again: I’m still very amazed by what Marco achieved on Sunday at Silverstone.”