Aprilia has become one of the biggest surprises in MotoGP this season. In a season mostly dominated by Marc Márquez and Ducati, the Italian team has grown into a regular challenger, often putting real pressure on Ducati. It has now been almost two and a half years since any manufacturer other than Ducati or Aprilia has won a dry-weather race.

For a long time, Aprilia’s main problem was consistency. The RS-GP was very fast on some tracks, especially flowing circuits like Barcelona, but it often struggled on slower, stop-and-go layouts. This made it difficult for Aprilia to compete evenly throughout the season, and it allowed KTM to beat them to second place in the constructors’ standings in both 2023 and 2024.

That has now started to change. As MotoGP moves towards the end of its current technical era, Aprilia has turned the RS-GP into a bike that performs well on almost every circuit. Team CEO Massimo Rivola explained that the bike is no longer only strong on smooth, fast tracks, but it is now competitive everywhere.

A big part of the progress came after a leadership change at the end of 2024. Fabiano Sterlacchini, who had previously worked at Ducati and KTM, joined Aprilia as Technical Director. Since then, the team has made strong progress, finishing on the podium in six of the last nine grands prix. It has also fixed old problems, such as the bike overheating in very hot conditions at certain Asian races.

Sterlacchini said that success in MotoGP is not only about technology but also belief. He explained that consistency comes from trusting your work and staying positive, even after bad races. That attitude has helped the whole Aprilia team keep its confidence high.

This season, Marco Bezzecchi has led the team after Jorge Martin was injured. Bezzecchi gave Aprilia a brilliant victory at the British Grand Prix and almost won again in Indonesia, where he took pole position and the sprint race win before making a rare mistake in the main race. His performances showed that Aprilia still has the speed to fight at the front.

However, making the bike more balanced overall has slightly reduced its old advantage at certain tracks. At Barcelona in 2023, Aprilia scored a one-two finish, but by 2025 none of its riders managed to finish in the top five. Sterlacchini said that this does not mean the team has gone backwards, but that other manufacturers improved more quickly. He pointed out that Aprilia’s lap times are faster than last year, and the team is still finishing inside the top three at most races.

Aprilia’s biggest challenge right now is with KTM for second place in the constructors’ championship. KTM has improved with a new aerodynamic package, but its performance still changes a lot from one race to another. That inconsistency has helped Aprilia build a small 28-point lead with four rounds remaining. Sterlacchini said the team’s goal is clear: to finish in the top five for riders and second in the manufacturers’ standings.

The only missing piece for Aprilia is a fully fit rider line-up. Injuries to Martin and Ai Ogura have left the team short-handed, relying mainly on Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez. In Indonesia, Bezzecchi’s crash left Fernandez as the only Aprilia to finish.

Despite those setbacks, Aprilia has been one of the best stories in MotoGP this season. The team has gone from being an occasional threat to a regular contender at the front.