A chaotic French Grand Prix rewarded those who were bold with strategy and not afraid to gamble in the rain.
However, those who went back and forth paid a high price, including the likes of Luca Marini, Alex Rins and Marco Bezzecchi.
The last of those riders is now in a terrible run of form, sitting 12th in the riders’ standings for Aprilia. He isn’t even the highest-placed rider on one of their bikes.
To have been outshone by Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura to start the year was a surprise, but Bezzecchi has bigger worries and has a lot of work to do to help his team climb from fifth in the constructors’ standings.
Bezzecchi has faced a ‘brutal’ issue at Aprilia, which has been tiring his body, with harsh decelerations having an impact on him.
It’s no surprise that he hasn’t finished higher than sixth, six races into the campaign. Bezzecchi has ‘constantly struggled’ at Aprilia, adding to a nightmare year following Jorge Martin’s injuries.
Marco Bezzecchi showed respect for Jack Miller by copying him at the French Grand Prix
Fortunately for Bezzecchi, there are 16 more MotoGP events this season for him to fix his woes. So far, his first season with the Italian manufacturer has been far from ideal.
Having Lorenzo Savadori as a teammate hasn’t helped him with bike development, but when Martin returns, things may improve.
At the French Grand Prix, when faced with a tough strategy call in mixed conditions, Bezzecchi sought inspiration from a rival rider.
It showed just how much respect he has for him, and it’s a decision which could have won him the race if he kept faith in the idea and remained on wet tyres after the opening few laps.
“I took my cue from Jack Miller, who usually makes a good choice,” Bezzecchi told Speedweek. “It was the first time I had ridden the Aprilia in such conditions. That’s why I lacked the confidence to make a decision.”
“Normally, I choose slicks, even if the track is not really dry yet. But because it was my first time, I looked to see what Jack was doing. Jack stayed on rain tires. So I also stayed on rain tires. But the track dried out quickly. That’s why I switched to slicks.”
Why Marco Bezzecchi might end up with a new MotoGP teammate for 2026
So far in 2025, there hasn’t been a Grand Prix where both full-time Aprilia riders managed to cross the line.
That’s mainly due to Martin crashing out on his return in Qatar, suffering more injuries and being sidelined for even longer.
However, a report revealed Martin wants to leave Aprilia at the end of the 2025 season and it could completely transform the MotoGP rider market.
It would leave Bezzecchi with a new partner for 2026, but who it could be is anyone’s guess. There will be no shortage of options available.
