Sylvain Guintoli has commended Marco Bezzecchi for his outstanding performance throughout the 2025 MotoGP season, while also applauding Aprilia for fundamentally transforming the RS-GP’s performance characteristics. Aprilia entered the previous season with a fresh lineup, featuring Marco Bezzecchi alongside reigning world champion Jorge Martin, as well as a new technical director, Fabiano Sterracchini.
When Martin suffered an injury and missed the first day of pre-season testing, the responsibility for bike development immediately shifted to Bezzecchi, who had never before ridden a factory-spec machine or led the progression of a MotoGP project. Initially, both rider and manufacturer faced significant challenges. However, consistent efforts early on laid the groundwork for a breakthrough during the post-race test at Jerez.
“I picked up some key insights from the Jerez test that were really valuable,” Bezzecchi shared with Crash.net. “After returning home, I realized, ‘Yes, this is definitely doable.’”
Though specific details remain private, Guintoli—former Grand Prix rider, 2014 World SBK Champion, and current MotoGP commentator for TNT Sports—observed a noticeable evolution in the RS-GP’s character. He praised Bezzecchi and the entire Aprilia team for their impressive work.
“What stood out most was Aprilia’s historical strength on flowing circuits like Silverstone, Assen, and Barcelona,” Guintoli explained. “We expected them to struggle on tight, hard-braking tracks or when Michelin introduced a harder tire carcass. That had long been embedded in their bike’s DNA and packaging. But this year, the RS-GP changed, and Bezzecchi truly excelled.”
Bezzecchi ended the season with Aprilia’s best-ever MotoGP results: six victories (three Grands Prix and three Sprint races) and a third-place finish in the World Championship. Aprilia secured second place behind Ducati in the constructors’ standings. Guintoli, recalling his time winning the 2014 World SBK title with Aprilia, noted the continuity within the team and expressed satisfaction at their current success.
The season’s only setback for Bezzecchi was at Mandalika, where a collision with Marc Marquez caused the champion to miss the rest of the round due to a shoulder injury. Guintoli described the crash as unfortunate but a byproduct of close racing, emphasizing that it did not overshadow Aprilia’s impressive progress and emergence as serious title contenders.
When asked if Marquez might have taken the championship riding Aprilia’s 2024 RS-GP, Guintoli was quick to highlight Bezzecchi’s accomplishments. He pointed out that, despite being teammate to the reigning world champion Martin—who holds higher status—Bezzecchi delivered remarkable results in his first season with a factory team. Guintoli added that while Martin struggled with the Ducati GP23, Bezzecchi worked patiently to develop a machine that suits his style perfectly.
In a personal note, Guintoli announced he will participate in the 2026 London Marathon wearing racing leathers to honor his late son Luca and is raising funds for the pediatric cancer charity PASIC.
Fan Take: Bezzecchi’s breakthrough season with Aprilia signals a seismic shift in MotoGP’s competitive landscape, introducing a new powerhouse team capable of challenging perennial giants like Ducati. This evolution not only heightens the sport’s unpredictability but also promises thrilling battles for fans eager to witness the rise of fresh talent and innovative engineering.
