Aprilia warned about internal title fight between Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi
Aprilia have entered unfamiliar ground this season with Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, and Marco Melandri has issued a warning about the ‘very difficult’ title fight that is expected to unfold between the two riders.
Marco Bezzecchi has been dominant in all three Grands Prix so far, but his position at the top of the standings isn’t exactly secure.
His lead is just four points over teammate Jorge Martin, who sits in second place. While we’re still early days in the championship, Martin’s strong form threatens to undo the progress Bezzecchi made last year to close the gap between Aprilia and Ducati.
Ducati remain a focal point of attention this season. But as Melandri pointed out, Aprilia could also have their hands full with tensions closer to home.
Marco Melandri expects a challenging 2026 for Massimo Rivola
Speaking to Fanpage, the former MotoGP rider shared his views on how things are shaping up inside the Aprilia garage and why Massimo Rivola might face a tough year managing both Bezzecchi and Martin.
Melandri started by drawing a contrast between the two riders. “If we’re talking pure talent, Martin is probably among the best ever,” he said. “Bezzecchi, however, is a skilled driver: he’s worked hard on himself, on his limits, and has grown impressively.”
He went on to add: “In the end, though, talent only counts up to a certain point. What really matters is the result.”
Melandri was then asked how tricky it will be for Aprilia’s management team to keep things under control this season. His response was straightforward: “Very difficult.”
He continued: “As long as one of the two is clearly ahead and the other behind, everything is simpler. But when they start fighting for the championship title, everything changes.
“The internal dynamics become delicate. [Massimo] Rivola will have to be very good at maintaining balance. It’s not a trivial situation, even if they have the experience to manage it.”
Rivola insists title fight will remain open between Martin and Bezzecchi
Of course, if both riders stay in the mix until the final rounds, questions about team orders and internal preference are sure to follow.
Rivola has been clear that Aprilia won’t interfere unless one of them is no longer in mathematical contention. But even with that stance, there’s still plenty of speculation swirling around the paddock.
The general feeling is that the team might be quietly hoping Bezzecchi takes it over Martin, even if they won’t say so publicly.
A big part of that comes down to Martin’s plans for next year. He’s expected to leave Aprilia for Yamaha once the new regulations kick in, which only adds fuel to the fire.
Martin made his decision before this season even began. Given how things have unfolded since then, you have to wonder if he’s starting to question whether he made the right call joining a team already playing catch-up.
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