Aprilia Faces a Torrent of Emotions as Phillip Island MotoGP Race Is Cancelled
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The abrupt cancellation of Sunday’s Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island has left Aprilia Racing grappling with a complex mix of frustration, relief, and regret, as revealed by CEO Massimo Rivola. The decision to call off the final Grand Prix at the iconic circuit triggered contrasting responses within the team and its riders.
Marco Bezzecchi’s weekend began with promise after topping Friday’s practice sessions, only to see his hopes dashed by wet qualifying that relegated him to ninth. He fought back admirably in Saturday’s Sprint race, clawing his way to a strong fourth-place finish, just over a second behind winner Marc Marquez, who seized the World Championship lead following Jorge Martin’s crash and fractured wrist. “I’m sure that Marco is a bit pissed, because he saw an opportunity,” Rivola acknowledged, highlighting the Italian rider’s frustration at a missed chance to capitalize.
Conversely, Jorge Martin, sidelined by injury, found unexpected
Conversely, Jorge Martin, sidelined by injury, found unexpected fortune in the washout. “I think that Jorge is happy,” Rivola admitted, noting the silver lining for the title contender. Yet the cancellation deeply saddened Rivola on a personal level, especially given the significance of the event marking the end of MotoGP’s chapter at Phillip Island. “I’m sorry for the people who spent all day here, since the very early morning. The last roar at Phillip Island deserved a better end. But it’s like this,” he reflected.
The cancellation was ultimately driven by poor visibility that grounded the medical helicopter, a safety imperative that overshadowed even the heavy rain forecast. Rivola confessed that the helicopter issue was not initially at the forefront of his mind. “Personally, I didn’t think about the helicopter, which was the main problem,” he said. The track conditions themselves appeared questionable for racing, particularly given the high speeds typical at Phillip Island. “I didn’t speak to Marco after the parade lap, but the track conditions also didn’t look good considering the average speed here.”
Adding a personal dimension, Rivola revealed that his family had traveled to witness MotoGP’s final race at Phillip Island, only to be thwarted by the cancellation. “Personally, I brought my family here because I told them, ‘You need to see the last race in Phillip Island’. So they did four days of travelling for nothing. But it’s like that,” he said.
Questions arose over why the race wasn’t moved
Questions arose over why the race wasn’t moved to Saturday’s Sprint slot, as had occurred during the rain-hit 2023 Australian GP. Rivola explained the difficult weather forecast for Saturday afternoon and maintained that hindsight made any alternative strategy appear easier than it was in reality. “Now, speaking after, maybe we could have raced on Saturday, but it’s too easy to say now. It’s just a pity we don’t race for all these people. Nothing that we can really control.”
Beyond the weekend’s disappointment, Rivola critically assessed Aprilia’s broader performance. Despite strong dry-weather pace at Phillip Island and Indonesia, the team “didn’t maximise at all” in both rounds. “It’s clear that Aprilia has an advantage at those two tracks in dry conditions,” he stated, balancing optimism with realism. “I like to think positive and think that the tracks that are not really supposed to be our tracks can be good for the points at least. But we won’t know until we experience them.”
Looking ahead, Jorge Martin aims to return at next weekend’s Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang, trailing Marquez by ten points, while Bezzecchi remains 50 points adrift. The championship battle remains wide open as the season progresses towards Qatar, Portimao, and Valencia. Rivola’s candid reflections encapsulate the turbulence of a weekend where safety, weather, and fate collided, leaving Aprilia caught between a bitter what-could-have-been and the harsh realities of MotoGP racing.
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