Marco Bezzecchi Reveals Plans To Copy Jorge Martin In Aprilia

Apr 14, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Jorge Martin (89) of Spain and Prima Pramac Racing and Maverick Vinales (12) of Spain and Aprilia Racing rides during the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Jorge Martin (89) of Spain and Prima Pramac Racing and Maverick Vinales (12) of Spain and Aprilia Racing rides during the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Aprilia factory rider Marco Bezzecchi, who moved from the VR46 Racing Team, will race alongside reigning champion Jorge Martin this year. Thus, to improve himself, Bezzecchi has revealed that he will copy Martin as much as he can, considering not only his riding skills but also his work ethic that contributed to his championship victory.

Bezzecchi's growth in the premier class slowed in the 2023 season, and he now acknowledges the need for motivation, a reference to help him scale up the championship order. The need for a considerable boost comes from his stint with Ducati's GP23 at VR46, a bike he described as having handling problems. He said:

“I struggle with the first touch of gas, the bike doesn't turn, I'm losing speed and often go wide.

“All the GP23 Ducati riders complain about the same problem. There are some tracks where I was able to adjust a bit, and some I struggled more.”

However, with handling being one of the biggest advantages of the Aprilia RS-GP, Bezzecchi revealed an immediate improvement in stability. He said during the team launch:

“It was a nice first day for me in Montmelo. I felt immediately good on the bike.

“The biggest difference was the front that was really, really stable. It's a characteristic of the Aprilia. A big stability. The bike gave me a good confidence immediately in straight braking.

“This was quite different from Ducati, that is in another position, so when you brake, the bike reacts in a different way.

“Then also of course, the way to ride [the Aprilia] is completely different, so I will need to adapt lap-by-lap more and more. But the biggest difference was this.”

Martin has been known for his resurgence in the 2023 season at Pramac Ducati where he strongly challenged factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia in the championship. Despite losing the title after a close battle, Martin again battled him closely in 2024 to secure his maiden MotoGP title. Admiring the qualities that led him to become the first independent rider to win a championship, Bezzecchi added:

“Well, first of all, his speed is huge. I mean, he's able to reach an amazing level of speed in such a short time. Every time he jumps on the bike, he's very fast.

“So it will be important for me to try to use him as a reference, to see his data, to see the way that he works inside the box and try to copy everything that he does better than me.

“He is the world champion so at the end, he is the strongest one at the moment.

“Let's say that apart from the skills on the bike, that he certainly has a lot of, he also has a very good work ethic. He trains very well. But also he is very focused, very motivated every time.

“I’m also motivated, but sometimes it’s difficult to keep this motivation for all the races when you have tough times. For me, last year was really tough.

“He passed some difficult times in the past. He had to change completely his plans. But he kept anyway a strong mentality and a strong motivation.

“This is a good example to understand how much stronger Jorge is. So this is something that I will try to do as well and try to take him as a reference to improve myself.”


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