MotoGP 2027 line-up update: Aprilia Racing
- Silvia Cojocaru
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
The pieces are finally starting to fall into place as the riders confirm their seats for the upcoming season. The current leading team in the championship, Aprilia Racing, are looking to form another strong line-up that can mentain them at the top of the standings for 2027 and beyond.
Marco Bezzecchi confirms his stay
One of the first riders to take a stance and confirm their seat for the upcoming season, Marco Bezzecchi was eager to show his commitment to the Italian manufacturer. A multi-year contract was signed and made public at the beggining of February of this year.
The Italian rider showed imense interest in sticking with Aprilia, stating: "I’m extremely happy to have renewed for another two years. From the first day I signed, I had the goal in mind of building a long-term project. I’m happy to have found the support of the entire team and the whole Noale factory. I hope I’ll be able to give them a lot of joy, as they most certainly will with me."
Aprilia CEO Masimo Rivola made it clear that signing Bezzecchi had been the team's priority and added: "We have built a path creating solid foundations, and the fact that Marco chose to stay with us, in spite of various other offers he received, gives us great pleasure and further highlights the work and spirit of this team."
After less than two seasons racing for the Italian manufacturer, Bezzecchi is already Aprilia's most successful rider in history.
Jorge Martín to leave Aprilia
After multiple misunderstandings from their first year working together in 2025, Jorge Martín's partnership with Aprilia was nothing short of chaotic. Through highs and lows, the team's commitment to the 2024 champion slowly seemed to fade as both parties started to consider other prospects.
Rivola made it clear that the team continued to look for replacements following Martín's continued shown lack of interest, stating: “Aprilia never sleeps. There are Plan B, Plan C, D…”.
Martín was public about his wish to leave the Noale-based manufacturer for a while now, even giving a bit of insight about where we could see him next. On his doubts following his disputes with Aprilia in 2025, he stated: “I don’t want to come back and have to demonstrate… like I am still the same Martín. So I say, ‘OK, let’s have a long term. We will be fine.’ But for sure, when we tell [Aprilia], they say, ‘No f—— way you are leaving.’
“So, this was a bit the reason why I wanted to change. I always thought that ‘27 is the year of the Japanese."
Francesco Bagnaia to take the second seat
A fully Italian line-up for Aprilia has been rumoured for a while now, seeming like a great fit for the three-time world champion. Francesco Bagnaia confirmed that he will be ending his long-lasting partnership with Ducati at the end of this season and just a day later, the Noale-based manufacturer announced that he will be joining Bezzecchi on a four-year contract.
Rivola commented on the signing, stating: "Michele Colaninno and I share the same vision of supporting Italy, which is why we both thought of Marco and Pecco together for the next chapter of Aprilia Racing. Bagnaia's arrival is a confirmation of the value of Italian sport, which in recent months has distinguished itself on the world stage thanks to the achievements of Kimi Antonelli in Formula 1, Jannik Sinner in tennis, and Federica Brignone at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. That is why welcoming Pecco fills us with pride and gives Italian sport a further boost internationally. We will give him and his family a warm welcome, but first we will try to beat him! Having a multiple world champion is a responsability we can't wait to take on."
See how the silly season unfolds next and tune in to the Dutch Grand Prix on 28th June 2026, from 14.00 track time (12.00 GMT).
