Aprilia MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi says a new technical update introduced for the Austrian Grand Prix for all manufacturers “can help” the Noale brand as it continues to try to close its gap to championship leaders Ducati and Marc Marquez.
Bezzecchi arrives at the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian MotoGP this weekend off the back of a podium in Brno last time out that was his third in four races.
The Italian will have something new to use on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP in Austria, as will all riders, as the control electronics from Marelli will include stability control for the first time from this weekend.
Bezzecchi says he thinks the electronic update can “help” Aprilia, and feels that any decrease in the difference that can be made by a rider to performance as a result of the additional electronic control will erode with time.
“In our [Aprilia] case, it can help,” Marco Bezzecchi told the pre-event press conference in Austria.
“We are working to improve and this can help us to try to reach the other manufacturers.
“Of course, […] the rider can make a little bit less difference – this is not the best.
“But, at the end, when everyone will be at their top of the setting of everything, then the rider will make the difference again, so it’s a matter of time.”
Bezzecchi also affirmed that, despite a difficult start to the season, his and Aprilia’s ambitions remain fixed on the top of the championship.
“Our team, our factory, we started the year in a difficult way, of course, also the winter time was tough because I was alone – together with Sava [Lorenzo Savadori], but he was testing many other things, so it was a difficult preseason,” he said.
“Then, when we started to work to finally find something on the upgrades we started to improve.
“It’s true that we are a bit closer, but I will say that it’s not always easy when there are always six or five other bikes that are always on top.
“Let’s say that we are working for this and we are improving.
“Of course, now we can fight, at least, because the factory made a wonderful job, and the target is to reach the top and now Marc [Marquez] is at the top.”
Red Bull Ring “a track that I always liked”
Bezzecchi is a rider who has excelled at the Red Bull Ring in the past. He has one premier class podium at the track which came in 2023, and was a winner in Moto2 in 2020 (in somewhat controversial circumstances after a last lap penalty for Jorge Martin) and in Moto3 in 2018.
The Italian says that the tracks many hard braking points make for a layout that he enjoys.
“It’s a track that I always liked with the hard brakings,” he said.
“I really enjoy this part of the riding style – the braking – and this track is full of hard braking. So, it’s fun for me to ride here.
“Also, the place is fantastic, the nature outside of the track is amazing, so I always loved this place and I can’t wait to jump on the bike again.”