MotoGp, Martin in Aprilia as a champion: Tardozzi-Rivola exchange

Bologna, November 26, 2024 – Small skirmishes, playful, but perhaps not that much. Ducati e Aprilia were the only two brands to win Grand Prix in the 2024 season, dominated by Borgo Panigale which failed to make a clean sweep and 'granted' a victory to Noale. In addition, the reigning champion Jorge Martin will move to Aprilia in 2025, even if he has not resolved his reservations about using the number one. It is in any case an epochal transition, the result of Ducati's choice to entrust an official bike to Marc Marquez alongside Pecco bagnaia. Of course, Ducati is still the favourite, but Aprilia is ambitious and will try to give Martin, and also Bezzecchi, a competitive bike to try and compete with.

Tardozzi: “We’ll see if they can keep the number one”

With the Japanese still far away, Yamaha better than Honda but it will take time to become fully competitive again, Aprilia e Ducati are today the main protagonists of Moto GP, even if KTM was the best after Borgo Panigale but risks being limited by a financial crisis triggered by a significant drop in sales. So, just Rivola he knew that Martin he would have left Ducati he threw himself on it, with the approval of the owners, opening the load of ambitions with the reigning champion in the official team together with a talent like Marco BezzecchiThe first contact with the 2025 bike was positive, but huge steps forward will still be needed to compete fully with the Desmosedici, built for a super team composed of Marc Marquez and Pecco bagnaia. In this regard, Davide Tardozzi, as reported by motorsport.com, has launched a first playful dig at his rivals, underlining that Jorge's name is in the 2024 roll of honour Martin, as world champion, will appear on Ducati: "On the roll of honor it will be written that the 2024 champion is Jorge Martin on Moto Ducati. Aprilia buys the number one, but we will see if it will be able to carry him forward ... ". The Ducati sports director can count on a pair of aces, the best in the entire world championship: "We will have a fantastic team and the bike will be developed in the best possible way, then we will have to understand the improvement of the others and Aprilia will also have a fantastic pair ". The response from Aprilia CEO Massimo was not long in coming Rivola, eager to provide Martin and Bezzecchi with a bike to try to win the world championship. Here is the reply to Tardozzi's first jab: "I think we spent less than Ducati for the number one", the joke of Rivola. There will be a lot of work to do on the 2025 bike, even if the first impressions of the riders following the Barcelona tests were positive: “We were anxious about the first evaluations of the riders, but both were happy. The first feeling is always important and the bike was liked more than we thought. We know which path to follow”, Rivola continues. Now hard work during the winter to get to the February tests ready to get closer to Ducati with the hope, for Aprilia, of creating a real duel for the world title. On paper the talent of the riders is there. A great bike is also needed. Read also - Formula 1, Leclerc and Sainz meet: pact for the title