Aleix Espargaro: Bastianini at Aprilia? I also like Bezzecchi...
“I also like Bezzecchi... both options can be very interesting and an Italian rider with Aprilia can be beautiful.”
“Let’s see if we’ll finally get an Italian on an Italian bike, or not.” Those were the words of Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola during the Catalunya MotoGP round.
But which Italian was he talking about?
Enea Bastianini, expected to lose his factory Ducati seat to Jorge Martin or Marc Marquez, has long been linked with a switch to Aprilia.
But Aleix Espargaro, whose factory RS-GP seat is officially up for grabs after announcing his retirement at the end of this season, praised VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi when quizzed at Mugello on Thursday.
Motomatters.com quotes Espargaro as saying Bastianini is "a fast rider" who would fit the bill, before adding: “I also like Bezzecchi, I think as an Italian, also Marco is strong.
“He has also still hunger, because he didn't win so much yet in MotoGP because he's very young.
"So yeah, both options can be very interesting and I think an Italian rider with Aprilia can also be beautiful.”
Bezzecchi, third in last year’s world championship with three wins but only on the podium once so far this season, responded:
"Of course, it's fantastic to be mentioned in a project like that.
“First of all because my ambition, like every MotoGP rider, is to become a factory rider.
"But of course I'm trying to look around, trying to see all the possibilities that I have to see for my future."
Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales, Espargaro's current team-mate, is yet to sign for 2025 and has been linked with Repsol Honda.
However, the Spaniard appeared to play down such a switch by saying his decision will be about 'pure performance'.
"What I think is that I need to find my maximum potential. Do you think there [Honda] I can find my maximum potential? It's difficult. I don't see it.
"Maybe in the future, I don't know, right now it's complicated to think about that.
"But I think really my decision will be just pure performance and trying to really accomplish what I'm doing here."
Espargaro's 2025 plans also remain unclear. The triple MotoGP race winner wants a test and wild-card role but surprised by revealing it probably won't be with Aprilia.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
