Marco Bezzecchi addresses Pecco Bagnaia’s 2027 Aprilia MotoGP links

Marco Bezzecchi has dodged questions about growing links between double MotoGP world champion Pecco Bagnaia and a move to Aprilia for the 2027 season.

The 2022 and 2023 MotoGP world champion is all but assured to be leaving the Ducati fold at the end of this season, as the Italian squad looks to retain Marc Marquez and bring in Pedro Acosta to its factory squad.

Pecco Bagnaia had been heavily linked to Yamaha in the winter, though that move became shrouded in doubt amid reports of the Japanese brand signing Jorge Martin.

Since the Sepang test, Bagnaia’s name has also been heavily linked with Aprilia, who is reportedly pulling out all of the stops to try to convince the Italian to partner with Marco Bezzecchi next year.

On Saturday at the Buriram pre-season test, Bezzecchi addressed these rumours for the first time, though he dodged giving a firm answer when asked if he would have any problem with it.

“It’s not my argument,” he said of the Bagnaia rumours.

“I’m the rider, you have to ask the people who are into the market.

“I’m just riding. For me, it doesn’t matter who is in the other side of the box.

“I am riding and I have to ride. This is something you have to ask Massimo [Rivola], not me.”

Bezzecchi and Bagnaia are good friends, having grown together in Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Academy.

Bezzecchi brushes off crash on day one of Buriram test

Away from the rider market action, Bezzecchi has been hard at work evaluating the 2026 Aprilia ahead of the new campaign starting next week.

He is one of several to have suffered a crash during Saturday’s running, though walked away unscathed.

“I went a bit wide and touched the blue paint in Turn 3,” he explained.

“But I was going slow, so it was fortunately just a small mistake.”

Aprilia has a full complement of riders at its factory team in this test, with Jorge Martin returning following off-season surgery.

However, Bezzecchi suggests his testing load is still extensive given Martin’s lack of time on the bike so far.

“It’s good to have Jorge back in the box, and I’m happy to see him on track again,” he added.

“But he has to ride the bike without being stressed a bit. And he deserves to ride the bike.

“I’m also trying different things, different items, and it’s normal that it’s like this.

“So, two different kinds of jobs, but I think it’s going well.”