ASSEN, Netherlands — Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola believes Marco Bezzecchi needs time away from the MotoGP paddock after a difficult sequence of races derailed the Italian’s championship challenge and cost him the lead in the riders’ standings.
Bezzecchi endured another frustrating weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix after crashing on the second lap while attempting to recover positions, extending a run of three consecutive Sunday races without scoring a point.
The latest setback followed an equally disappointing Czech Grand Prix, where Bezzecchi became the center of controversy after striking a track marshal during the sprint race. The incident resulted in a ban from the following day’s Grand Prix, dealing another significant blow to his title hopes.
His difficult month began even earlier at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where teammate Jorge Martin eliminated three Aprilia riders, including Bezzecchi, in a first-lap collision at Balaton Park.
The succession of incidents has transformed what had been a promising championship campaign into one of frustration for the Italian rider.
Rivola acknowledged that Bezzecchi’s crash at Assen was avoidable but expressed sympathy for the emotional and psychological strain his rider has experienced over recent weeks.
“What can I say? We’ll send him on a week-long vacation, hoping first and foremost that he’s okay and that he’s willing to go,” Rivola said after Sunday’s race.
“He definitely needs a break, because lately he’s been through just about everything. So it’s understandable that he might be feeling a bit under pressure.”
Despite recognizing the pressure surrounding Bezzecchi, Rivola stopped short of excusing the mistake.
“That said, he shouldn’t have made that mistake, especially since it happened in a spot where you can really get hurt,” he said.
The series of disappointing results has allowed Martin to reclaim control of the MotoGP championship despite enduring his own turbulent campaign earlier in the season.
Martin now leads the standings by seven points over Bezzecchi, while Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio sits another nine points behind in third place.
Rivola’s assessment of Martin contrasted sharply with the criticism he directed toward the Spaniard after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Following the multi-rider collision at Balaton Park, the Aprilia executive questioned whether a reigning world champion should make such costly mistakes.
However, Martin’s composed performance at Assen prompted Rivola to acknowledge the rider’s maturity and race management.
Martin secured pole position despite Aprilia not appearing to possess the outright fastest package over a single lap throughout practice.
He then converted that performance into a measured third-place finish after recognizing the risks involved once the Trackhouse Racing riders began closing the gap.
For Rivola, that performance demonstrated the qualities required to win a MotoGP world championship.
“Given that we all make mistakes, in Hungary I said that a world champion doesn’t make these mistakes because he knows how to fight for the world championship, which is exactly what he did here,” Rivola said.
“He secured a pole position that only he could have achieved. On Friday and Saturday morning, the Aprilia wasn’t the fastest over a single lap, but he managed to take pole position thanks to his talent.”
Rivola also praised Martin’s decision-making during the race, arguing that restraint ultimately proved more valuable than risking everything in pursuit of victory.
“In the race, he was outstanding, he got off to a great start, was pulling away, and when the Trackhouse riders began to close in, he didn’t do anything reckless but realised that finishing third was a positive result,” Rivola said.
“That’s the attitude a rider who knows how to win a world championship needs to have.”
With the MotoGP summer break now approaching, Aprilia hopes the pause in the calendar will allow Bezzecchi to reset mentally before the championship resumes.
Although his recent run has significantly weakened his title challenge, the Italian remains firmly within striking distance of Martin, ensuring the battle for the championship remains wide open entering the second half of the season.
For Aprilia, preserving Bezzecchi’s confidence could prove just as important as improving the motorcycle if the manufacturer hopes to remain in contention for the riders’ title through the remainder of the 2026 campaign.
