What Aprilia hopes to unlock with its radical 2026 MotoGP aero package

Aprilia says its bold new aero package that debuted in the Valencia MotoGP test is designed to give the RS-GP a broader and more usable performance window.

The Noale manufacturer has been pushing aero development harder than anyone in recent seasons, and it took another step on Tuesday as both Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin rolled out bikes fitted with new fairings.

While most of the changes were featured on the front of the bike, Bezzecchi was also seen running a larger Formula 1-style rear wing during certain parts of the test. 

According to technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini, the updates reflect Aprilia’s push to improve the bike across the entire lap, rather than focusing on one standout area.

“One of the characteristics of the aerodynamic development is to ‘stretch the cover’,” he explained. “So, for example, it is quite clear that you have a better top speed; that in terms of performance you are not improving the lap time a lot, but it is easier to overtake and to manage the race.

“But in the meantime, to increase the drag, that is the opposite to what you need for top speed, you can improve your performance during the braking.

“So we try to stretch the cover in all the areas to have the right aerodynamic coefficient in every phase of riding.”

Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

It was a positive day for Aprilia at Valencia, with Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez leading the times on the 2025-spec RS-GP, and Bezzecchi ending just 0.027s behind in second as he ran back-to-back tests on the two bikes.

The latter, who closed out the season with victories in Portugal and Valencia, offered a mixed assessment of the bike amid a disrupted start to the day’s action.

“Well, it's different of course, but there's always not enough time to really understand,” he said. “Of course, we tested many things, but the day was a bit peculiar because of the weather condition. We lost a lot of time, a lot of track time.

“So, mixed feelings as always in testing. Some positives, for sure, but also many doubts, many negatives, like every time on testing. We will have to really analyse everything well before taking decisions. It was just an appetiser.”

Bezzecchi felt the performance between the two Aprilias was broadly comparable, but admitted it was difficult to get a true feel for the 2026 RS-GP in such a short window.

“It was very similar between the two,” he said. “Maybe with the new one it was the best lap time, but anyway, it was like half a tenth slower with the other one.

“It's normal at the beginning. I know the bike very well from this season, I think I made 10,000km on this season’s bike. So, in just 40 or 50 laps with the new bike, it's impossible to really understand [it].”

Only Bezzecchi and Martin tested the 2026 bike in Valencia, as Trackhouse riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura had no new parts available on Tuesday.