Aprilia’s MotoGP team is winning races, fighting at the front and enjoying one of the best times in its history. But away from the track, there is still one big thing missing: a title sponsor.

Team boss Massimo Rivola has openly said he feels unhappy that the team has not secured a major naming partner. A title sponsor is the company that gives its name to a team and usually brings a large amount of money. In modern MotoGP, this kind of deal is very important for budgets.

Looking towards the 2026 season, every other factory team has such a sponsor. Aprilia stands alone in this area. Even though the brand works with several well-known partners, none of them is the main headline sponsor.

This is not because Aprilia is weak in racing. In fact, the opposite is true. The team from Noale in Italy has improved step by step over recent years. Strong technical work, smart leadership and talented riders have helped the project grow. Last season, Aprilia won four races and finished second in the manufacturers’ standings, a clear sign it now belongs among the top teams.

The problem is more about size and money. Aprilia is part of the Piaggio Group, a famous name in the motorcycle world. However, it is still much smaller than some rivals. Honda and Yamaha are huge global companies. Ducati is linked to the massive Volkswagen Group, and KTM has strong support from Indian giant Bajaj. Compared to these, Aprilia has fewer financial resources.

Rivola explained that belief in the project is very important. He said success comes from people, engineers, riders, managers and partners all working together. Still, he admitted he had hoped that the team’s good results would attract a top sponsor by now.

He even said he would love to call Piaggio’s CEO one day and say the racing team had found an extra €10 million to add to its budget. That shows how important outside funding is in modern MotoGP. Racing at this level is extremely expensive, with constant development of bikes, parts and technology.

The wider situation in MotoGP also plays a role. The championship is now owned by Liberty Media, the same company behind Formula 1. Many fans hope this will help MotoGP grow in business terms. The racing is already exciting, fast and close, but the commercial side is still smaller than in F1.

Formula 1 teams are worth more than a billion dollars each. MotoGP teams are worth far less. Big international brands often choose to spend their money in F1 because it offers huge global exposure and luxury image. MotoGP, while very popular, has not reached that same financial level.

Rivola does not think MotoGP should simply copy Formula 1. He believes motorcycle racing has its own identity and should protect it. But he agrees that the sport must become more attractive to major companies. He says riders should be used more as public faces of the sport, helping to promote MotoGP around the world.

Another challenge is the long season. The calendar now includes 22 race weekends, which is a record. This puts pressure on riders, mechanics and engineers. Rivola said a smaller calendar would be easier, but he does not expect that to happen. More races mean more show and more income for the championship.

One possible solution, he said, could be to cut back on testing instead. In Formula 1, teams deal with busy schedules by employing more staff and rotating them. MotoGP teams cannot always afford to do this yet.

For Aprilia, the goal is clear: keep winning on the track and hope the business side catches up. Rivola believes that as MotoGP grows and attracts bigger sponsors overall, Aprilia will also benefit. Until then, the team continues to prove its value where it matters most, on race day