Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, stated that his team has not lost the MotoGP title of 2026, but rather that Ducati’s rider, Marc Márquez, has achieved it thanks to his exceptional performances. The Catalan is on the verge of winning his tenth world title and the eighth in the MotoGP category.
After his sprint victory in Qatar, Márquez finds himself in a favorable position to be crowned champion in Portimao. To achieve this, he only needs to surpass Jorge Martín by two points, while a finish among the top nine would guarantee him the victory, thus eliminating the competition from rider Marco Bezzecchi.
The season has been intense, and fans have questioned whether the title victory is attributable to Márquez’s talent or Aprilia’s mistakes. Rivola, in a recent interview, acknowledged the merits of the Ducati rider, stating: ‘Márquez has been the decisive factor.’ With impeccable management during races, the rider has accumulated 37 points every time an opportunity has arisen.
This year, Aprilia’s journey has been filled with unfortunate experiences despite the team achieving its best performance since its entry into the category. Rivola expressed that although they have let some points slip, the goal of the season remains the fight for the constructors’ title.
Currently, Aprilia maintains a significant lead in the team standings, with 124 points more than Ducati, but it is 8 points that separate them from the constructors’ title. Rivola has expressed pride in the work done so far and hopes the team can maintain focus until the end of the season.
Beyond individual results, Rivola highlighted the impact that Márquez’s excellence has had on the competition, pointing out that on occasions, ‘even four Aprilias are not enough to stop him.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
