Aprilia Racing CEO Suggests Marco Bezzecchi Needs Time Off Amid Championship Struggles

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola has stated that Marco Bezzecchi “needs a break” following a series of setbacks that have derailed his MotoGP championship campaign. The Italian rider’s title hopes suffered significant damage after two consecutive non-points finishes in the Czech Republic and Dutch Grands Prix.

Bezzecchi’s recent struggles began with a controversial incident at the Brno sprint race, where he collided with a marshal, resulting in a one-race ban. A week later at Assen, he crashed on the second lap while attempting to regain positions, further jeopardizing his championship aspirations. Earlier in June, a collision with teammate Jorge Martin during the Hungarian GP eliminated both riders in the opening laps.

Rivola acknowledged that while Bezzecchi’s Assen crash was his own responsibility, he emphasized the importance of allowing the rider time to regroup. “We’ll send him on a week-long vacation, hoping he’s okay and ready to return,” Rivola said after the race. He added, “He’s been through a lot lately, so it’s understandable he might feel pressured, but he shouldn’t have made that mistake in such a dangerous area.”

“We all make mistakes,” says Massimo Rivola

Photo by: Aprilia Racing

Rivola also criticized Jorge Martin’s performance in Hungary, where the Spanish rider’s actions led to crashes involving multiple Aprilia riders. However, he praised Martin’s composure at Assen, noting his third-place finish as evidence of improved maturity. “A world champion avoids such errors because they understand championship battles,” Rivola said. “Jorge secured a pole position that only he could have achieved, and in the race, he was exceptional—starting strongly, pulling ahead, and staying calculated when pressure mounted.”

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