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Aprilia Lauds Bezzecchi’s Gritty Podium Return at Silverstone
Massimo Rivola praised Marco Bezzecchi for battling through severe physical injuries to secure third at the British Grand Prix after a bruising slump.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-09 16:08:30.000 - 2 min read
Aprilia chief executive Massimo Rivola heaped praise on Marco Bezzecchi after the Italian rider battled through physical pain to finish third at the MotoGP British Grand Prix on Sunday. Bezzecchi arrived at Silverstone struggling with lingering aftereffects from collarbone and knee injuries sustained before the summer break. Those physical ailments compounded a dismal run of form that saw him fail to finish four consecutive grands prix following his victory at Mugello in late May.
Despite struggling to walk on Sunday morning, Bezzecchi managed to fend off Alex Marquez to claim the final step of the podium, capping off a strong team result for Aprilia. Rivola expressed profound admiration for his rider's resilience, pointing to the determination required to overcome both physical suffering and a severe mental slump. The Aprilia boss noted that witnessing a rider struggle to move hours before the race only to deliver a competitive performance highlights a rare level of commitment.
The journey back to the podium offered welcome relief after a cascade of mistakes and heavy accidents at Balaton, Brno, Assen and the Sachsenring. Bezzecchi admitted that blocking out external criticism and internal doubts had proven difficult during his barren streak. He credited his family, friends, the Valentino Rossi Academy and his garage crew for keeping him grounded while the pressure mounted.
Once on the grid, however, the noise faded away completely. Describing the psychological shift of race day, Bezzecchi explained that pulling his helmet down functions much like inserting earplugs, effectively silencing the outside world and allowing him to focus entirely on the job at hand.