The press conference in prelude to the Grand Prix MotoGP of the Americas 2026 gathered in Austin, Texas Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Fabio DiGiannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) for their pre-race debriefing.
As usualWe reproduce here in full the words of the Aprilia rider, championship leader, without any formatting, even though it is translated from English.
🎤 “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to
Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. It's time once again to prepare for the horsepower rodeo at the Red Bull United States Grand Prix.
We're moving from South America to North America for the third round of this year's World Championship. And for this Thursday's press conference, we're welcoming three riders who enjoyed great success last weekend in Brazil.
First, the Aprilia Racing rider,
Marco Bezzecchi“Simply the Bez,” and simply irresistible right now. Winner of the last four Grands Prix, he led the final 101 laps on Sunday. The first Aprilia rider to lead the championship since
Alex Espargaro in 2022, and the first Italian to win the first two MotoGP races of the season since then, unsurprisingly,
Valentino Rossi at Suzuka and Welkom in 2001, 25 years ago.
Fourth in the championship and the best Ducati rider so far this season, the rider from the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team,
Fabio Di GiannantonioFabio has reached the podium in both the Sprint and Grand Prix races for the second time in three races in Brazil. Last weekend in Goiânia, he also started from pole position. Fabio reached the podium here in Austin a year ago and has already finished on the podium in all three categories of the World Championship.
And to complete the lineup, the reigning world champion,
Marc MarquezMarc, a Ducati Lenovo Team rider, is currently fifth in the standings. He won the Sprint race in Goiânia and boasts an exceptional record of seven victories here in Austin. It was on this circuit, in 2013, that he became the youngest MotoGP winner in history before clinching the title later that year as a rookie.
Gentlemen, welcome to all three of you. It's always a pleasure to be here in Austin, Texas.
(I.e. Fabio, you've already achieved podium finishes here in Austin in all three categories. So this is a circuit that suits you particularly well. What makes you perform so well here?
“Yes, this track is incredible. Every weekend here is truly special. The people, the atmosphere… it’s unique with these huge American flags all around, the stars and stripes. I really love the atmosphere here. I love the layout. The first sector is great, very distinctive and different from all the other tracks on the calendar.”
I've always really enjoyed riding here. So now, a new goal: to enjoy the weekend and the riding.
🎤 You're arriving in great form after pole position and two podium finishes in Brazil. You mentioned shoulder discomfort after your crash. Is that a problem here, on such a physically demanding circuit?
“I slightly underestimated the situation on Sunday during the race. The most difficult day was Monday, when it was complicated to use my arm properly.”
But I don't want to make an excuse of it. I don't even want to think about it. We're going to do everything we can to be at 100%.
I'm confident I have the right people around me to be ready for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. So yes, it's there, but mentally I'm totally focused and everything will be fine.
🎤 A special week for you with your trip to New York: NBA game, visit to the New York Stock Exchange, and unveiling of the special livery. How was your experience? And what do you think of this livery designed by Aldo Drudi?
“Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to express myself in a particular way, and being in a team that wants to do the same thing is fantastic. I think we’re quite unique in that respect. We try to express ourselves differently from what you usually see in motorsport.”
The livery, the helmet… Aldo did it all. He created an incredible piece, and all the elements of that design are featured on the bike, the suits, and my helmet. It's a true work of art that he cherishes, and I'm very happy to wear these colors.
And as I said, the motorcycle presentation atop a skyscraper in New York was incredible. These are the kinds of experiences that allow you to arrive here with a lot of positive energy.
🎤 There's a lot of debate, not just here but also among fans, about which is the best motorcycle right now: Aprilia or Ducati. What do you think? And how long will it take to get a clear answer?
“Yes, honestly, I don’t think we even need to know for the rest of the season. We don’t need one bike to be better than the others in MotoGP. What we need are great battles. The more fast and competitive bikes there are, the more exciting and interesting the races are. That’s what we riders love, and that’s what the fans want to see too.”
So I really hope we won't necessarily know whether the Aprilia or the Ducati is the best.
(I.e. Fabio, there's a lot of debate surrounding aggressive riding in motorsports. Last weekend in Brazil, you had an intense battle with Marc Marquez. Was it pushing the limits or simply true MotoGP?
“I really enjoyed racing with Marc last weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. I think our duel was very clean. Of course, it was aggressive, but that’s normal. We’re riding at extremely high speeds these days, the bikes are very fast. So it’s not easy to control every movement of the bike and the rider.”
But I think what we showed last weekend is the best way to express motorsport.
(I.e. What makes COTA such a unique challenge compared to other circuits around the world?
“Yes, there are a lot of corners. I think it’s the circuit with the most corners on the calendar. So it’s also very mentally demanding, because you have to stay focused on every corner of the lap, especially in time attack mode. I think that’s what makes it so unique.”
(I.e. After what we saw in Brazil, and with the possibility of street races on the MotoGP calendar next year, should the FIM and the organizers review the circuit homologation process?
“Yes, I think the conditions in Brazil were also difficult for them to predict. Let’s say you can prepare a circuit, but if suddenly the track starts to deteriorate with pieces coming loose, it’s something difficult to anticipate from the outside.”
You have to experience it, you have to see the motorcycles being ridden to really understand.
But I think they're doing a good job by including this type of circuit on the calendar, because ultimately, as Marco said, the most important thing, at least for me, is safety. And this track was safe enough to race on and provide a good show.
So, from my perspective, I think they're doing a good job.
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