Marco Bezzecchi admitted he had found the adaptation process with Aprilia “difficult” throughout the MotoGP test in Sepang.
The Italian completed his first test in 2025 aboard his new RS-GP machinery after he made the move over from VR46 Ducati.
Bezzecchi finished ninth on the final day after completing a time attack, posting his best time of 1.57.328s.
Despite having limited time testing the Aprilia, Bezzecchi’s feedback is crucial, especially given the absence of Jorge Martin and Raul Fernandez, who suffered injuries from crashing out on Day 1.
The 26-year-old revealed that while he found the adaptation process tricky, he was unable to extract the maximum performance from the Italian marque.
“Today I actually did a real time attack. I’m happy about the performance,” he said to Crash.net.
“I think I didn’t put the bike at the limit, but not because of the bike, more because of myself. Still I need to understand better and understand where is the limit of the bike.
“I think Sava [Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia test rider] actually rides in a better way the Aprilia,” Bezzecchi said.
“His style was born on the Aprilia, so for sure he knows better how to ride it. I think I’m still adapting myself; in braking I’m quite strong, so I try to maximise this strong point that I have in my riding.
“But still sometimes, with the Aprilia, I’m still trying to do what I was doing before.
“So, of course, I still need to adapt a bit, but I’m working on it and in some corners I was able to ride how I like to ride.”
“At the end, I’m quite satisfied. But it’s also difficult, to be honest, to get the rhythm when you try many things.
Bezzecchi compares Aprilia bikes from Barcelona to Sepang test
The Rimini-born star drew comparisons between the Aprilia bikes from the 2024 end-of-season test in Barcelona and the bike brought to Sepang.
He felt as though the Aprilia at Sepang was an improvement, but it’s down to him to decide whether certain parts are discarded, despite the refinement.
“We started with the Barcelona bike and then moved on to the new one, so as to understand everything. In the end I liked the latter better and afterwards we continued to work on that one,” he said to GPOne.
“In the end I liked the latter better and afterwards we continued to work on that one. At the moment we are a little behind because there are so many things to try.
“Still, the bike gives me good feelings, especially at the front, knowing that there are some things I have to adapt to.
“I think it’s [the Aprilia Sepang bike] a small step forward, but it’s still early to say more. Personally I felt good, in fact all the things I tried were better. However, I need time to evaluate and understand what to keep or not.
He added: “This bike turns much more than last year’s [GP23 Ducati] bike. For sure, we have to solve some problems on the rear; it moves a lot, I felt it already at Montmelo.
“However, I think it’s a mix between tires and electronics, although I don’t have the experience to take stock of that.”
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