Aprilia CEO experienced one of the happiest days since landing in Noale. He finally saw his top two racers cross the finish line and complete the MotoGP race with smiles spreading throughout the team. The high competitiveness of the bike in the hands of Marco Bezzecchi was also followed by the comeback of Jorge Martin, who, after struggling with a controversial contract, finally shifted his efforts to focus on the Italian factory, which is now looking forward to the second half of the season to fight for victory.
“It was an amazing weekend for Aprilia, Bezzecchi, and Martin. But also for Raul Fernandez, it was great to see the Trackhouse team so competitive. It wasn’t a perfect weekend, but it was a fantastic one,” explained Massimo Rivola on Sunday afternoon as he celebrated Bezzecchi’s second-place finish at the MotoGP Czech Republic race with the team in style.
However, just as the podium, Rivola was pleased and satisfied to see his unwavering attitude towards yielding to Martin and his desire to leave at the end of the season now becoming a source of positive energy for his team.
“I think consistency always pays off, as does hard work and a consistent attitude. It’s about respecting the company’s philosophy and ideas and seeing them through to the end,” he said.
Rivola expressed his satisfaction after the MotoGP champion said after the race that he had overcome the tension in the early hours with the team, and on Sunday, he already considered them his family.
“I was there when he said it, and it was very gratifying to hear,” he admitted.
“It will be the last time I talk about this, but we all need to understand what might be going on in the mind of a champion, an athlete, and a human who has spent months in injury conditions without a chance to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Especially when it comes to someone like Jorge, who is very active. I know his situation, and maintaining our position is the right thing to do for everyone, including Jorge,” he tried to resolve the issues that have been debated since Le Mans.
“Those are my only words on the matter. I’m happy to hear his words, see him smile, and see him confident on the bike. He doesn’t have much left, even if the (last tenth) is the hardest part to achieve in terms of performance. However, we can only be more than positive from now on.”
Rivola believes that the best thing for Aprilia now is to forget everything and start building from this weekend. “The motto now is don’t look back. It has been my motto, since my friend and former boss Stefano Domenicali (while at Ferrari) told me that. Now, we all have to look forward,” he said.
Some journalists questioned Martin’s words on Thursday, saying that he didn’t feel the need to apologize, but he understands that everyone on the team is free to speak candidly to him.
“Jorge is free to do and say whatever he wants to his team. Of course, the first day was a bit cold in some ways, but I knew it would happen. It’s nice to see him smile, gain confidence, and see people support him. I think those are things he will appreciate even more in this team.”
However, most importantly, the weekend ended without obstacles, and the rider understands that he has now recovered.
“Jorge is very happy with his body and his bike. Undoubtedly, his feelings will continue to improve, and he is very smart not to take unnecessary risks. In a way, he is even satisfied, but 21 laps with this MotoGP bike are a lot, especially if you’ve never ridden it on this circuit, and I’m very happy he responded like that, both in terms of performance and fitness,” he said, referring to his 7th place finish and, more importantly, no accidents.
If the joy of seeing Martin was a consequence of his duties as a CEO, Rivola celebrated Bezzecchi’s success with the joy of a father watching his son win.
“You really appreciate the growth he has achieved with his talent, work, and ability to be a team player. That is fundamental, and he has done it very well. One of his characteristics is to get support from everyone for what he does. It’s something he does on intuition, and it makes it more beautiful,” he said.
The results now make Marco the team leader, and Martin must regain his position.
“Marco has not fully won yet, as he has only won one race (with Aprilia, with Ducati he won three races). His goal is to be a winner, and of course, to exaggerate, the faster he becomes number one in the championship, the faster Jorge becomes number two and has the challenge to become the first,” he said.
“Difficult moments will come, because even for a champion like Jorge, it won’t be easy to catch the last tenth. We want to have two exceptional riders to develop as much as possible. I look forward to the second half of this season, as I think we are at a good technical level.”
With the current situation, Rivola understands that in the short term, Aprilia will have two first-rate swords who want to lead this project.
“Having two roosters in the same chicken coop is an issue I want to deal with,” he said, before explaining that “Bezzecchi was never hired as a sweetener.”
“Marco was in third place in the World Championship three years ago with Ducati, and I think Aprilia is the right place for him, both humanly and because he has a family behind him in a company that not only cheers him on but is also willing to work for him, as they do with Martin.
“Taking on the responsibility of leading the company, especially after what happened with Jorge in the first few months, is a sign of great maturity and strength. I can assure you that every time he falls or makes a mistake, he is the first person to be angry with himself and apologize to the team, and this is not something that can be taken lightly,” Rivola praised.
“In my opinion, we will start to see the value of Aprilia Racing from September onwards, as I believe Jorge doesn’t need many races to compete for the podium again. This is not to take praise away from Marco, who has done an exceptional job. If we are here, it is thanks to him, and also Lorenzo Savadori.
“If now we are fighting with Marc Márquez on a Ducati that seems unbeatable, I am confident we can even beat him, as it seems we are not too far behind. Especially on certain tracks.”
