Massimo Rivola analyzed Aprilia’s current situation with Sky TV with his usual clarity, expressing enthusiasm for the results while paying close attention to the details that can still make a difference.
“I have to say that when he makes a mistake on Saturday, he reacts like a champion on Sunday. It’s a wonderful sign,” Rivola underlined, referring to his rider's ability to bounce back. “I don’t think it’s just a physical issue for Jorge: he’s still missing that final bit of confidence to be 100% explosive.”
In his observation of the current state of the season, the Aprilia Racing CEO is also looking ahead: “We’re at the start of the year, but soon there could be dynamics related to internal management. We’ll see.”
The break and the work in Noale
The long break between races is always a point of contention: helpful or harmful?
“Usually, long breaks help those chasing more than those in the lead,” explains Rivola. “For us, however, it was also an opportunity. We got here thanks to the work done in Sepang, pushing until the very end on aerodynamic developments. We put a lot of pressure on the company, but Noale did an incredible job. Seeing that it paid off makes us very happy.”
Looking ahead: “I see the top riders as very determined and focused on testing. It will be helpful for Jorge to recover a bit: he was tired in the final stages today, but he really put in a great race.”
The Ogura incident and Martin’s handling
On the technical issue that caused Ogura’s retirement.
“Ogura’s bike had an issue with the engine guard, which got damaged at some point. We’re still trying to figure it out, because it wasn’t clear what had happened. In theory, it could have happened to anyone; we were all very worried at that moment.”
And on the coexistence between riders, with Martin’s contract expiring.
“No decisions have been made yet regarding the lineup. Both are free to race until the math eliminates one of them. The important thing is that there is respect on the track. And on this point, we are very clear.”
Italy in the spotlight
The weekend also had a strong Italian flavor with Kimi Antonelli winning the Suzuka GP in F1, Jannik Sinner in the final in Miami, and Guido Pini’s victory in Moto3.
“Speed is sky blue, and it’s beautiful,” smiled Rivola. “It was a very Italian weekend, and we’re proud of it all.”
Aerodynamics in the spotlight
A comment on the impact of aerodynamics was inevitable, especially after the contact between Bezzecchi and Acosta that damaged the rear of the RS-GP.
“Without the rear wing, especially during hard braking, he was at a disadvantage. The bike was lighter at the rear, more unstable, and therefore harder to control. But he did a great job of adapting,” he explained. “If anyone thinks aerodynamics doesn’t matter, they’re free to believe that.”
Meetings and the Future
Today there was also a meeting between the Manufacturers and Liberty Media to resolve the long-standing issue of the upcoming five-year contract with the Manufacturers, who are calling for a sort of ‘Concorde Agreement’.
“There was an important meeting, yes. I can’t deny it since you saw us there, nor can I go into details, but it was positive. Liberty’s CEO, Derek Chang, was also there. We were all satisfied.”
Aprilia is on the rise, then, with concrete results and room for further growth. And one thing is certain: the feeling is that the best is yet to come.