In MotoGP, every rider, every engineer, has his own vision of the perfect bike. But at Aprilia, Massimo Rivola, the CEO of the Noale brand, is trying to establish another dynamic.
In the ultra-competitive world of MotoGP, the relationship between engineers and riders plays a key role in the development of bikes. However, Massimo rivola, CEO ofaprilia-racing, warns against the risk of blindly following driver preferences, to the detriment of overall performance.
In an interview with crash.net, Rivola explained that drivers can sometimes steer engineers in technical directions that are not necessarily the most effective on the track… I think sometimes the riders point us in a direction to get, say, the bike which is better for them to ride, which is not necessarily the fastest on the track, " said the Italian leader.
According to him, adapting the bike to the rider's preferences may seem logical on paper, but it does not always guarantee results. He stresses the need to rely on objective data and a clear vision of technical development.
Massimo Rivola: “ Sometimes we had to be quite firm in our convictions »
« Sometimes we had to be quite firm in our convictions and encourage them to keep trying something they might not like, but we know is faster, " he added.
With George Martin et Marco Bezzecchi in the official team Aprilia in 2025, Rivola knows that managing rider expectations while remaining true to the brand's technical philosophy will be crucial. Although Ducati is the dominant manufacturer in MotoGP, some observers believe thatAprilia has technical advantages in several key areas.
By combining innovation, expertise and strategic management of driver feedback, the Noale brand seems well placed to seriously challenge its rivals in the coming seasons.
