Aprilia has been warned against choosing Marco Bezecic over George Martin in the 2026 MotoGP title race, with Matt Oxley suggesting how it could ‘taint the brand’ for decades.
MotoGP fans are gearing up for the first team title battle since then. A tense battle between Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi At the end of the 2015 campaign.
Because of the passions both Lorenzo and Rossi shared at Yamaha, Toxicity was rampant in the Yamaha hospitality building. In the MotoGP paddock, both riders didn’t want to give their rivals an inch in the championship.
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However, it is rare for the team to support one rider. Many believed Ducati They used the same methods Mark Marquez In the year 2025 title-winning campaign, but the claims were later dismissed by several figures in the squad.
At the end of the period, when George Martin was going to leave Aprilia, it was pointed out that way Aprilia could opt for current championship leader Marco Bezecchi. Due to future registration by Noale.
However, MotoGP journalist and Isle of Man TT winner Matt Oxley He has some words of warning for the Italian builder, noting how any hint they show to one of their riders will mark them for years to come.
Matt Oxley warns Aprilia against backing Marco Bezecic in 2026 title fight
During a look at Republic Motorsport podcast, Oxley was asked for his thoughts on Aprilia as he remains a rider for the Knoll-based factory next year and could prioritize Bezcicci’s results this year.
“Aprilia, being Italian, being Italian, they look for jokes,” Oxley began jokingly, “I always think of those as a bit of a conspiracy theory.”
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“I’m not sure if Rivola is going to sit there and say, ‘We’re going to bring George Martin’s TC or something,’ you know, do something. But I don’t know, the chance that someone finds out – that would be the worst thing ever.”
“You go racing, and when I have problems with factories and stuff, they yell, ‘Racing is about showing off, and you’re making us look like fools.’
Oxley sent Aprilia a stern warning after outlining how MotoGP teams don’t want bad press for their behind-the-scenes actions.
He said: “If you choose one rider badly over another, that’s a story that’s going to haunt you for years and decades. It really tarnishes his reputation. It’s a huge risk. I like to think that most of these things are generally conspiracy theories.”
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