Fabiano Sterlacchini had a “good surprise” when he first met Marco Bezzecch꧒i which should boost A🗹prilia.

The technical director𒊎 and the ಞfactory rider both joined Aprilia since the end of last season.

They have now spent the three💙-day Sepang test developing their 2025 bike tog🎉ether.

“He is r🐬eally good,” Sterlacchini said about Bezzecchi.

“From the outside, I had the꧋ impression that Marco was super-talented but not so technical.

“It has been a good surprise!

“The job we’re doing, setting up the bike in term༒s of hardware items, is q𓄧uite an interesting way to work because it’s very calm.

“We are setting up the bike in a way which is repeatable, so we can test just one item, and to have statisꦉtical data with consistency.”

Aprilia tech boss explains progress

Aprilia’s - and St🌠erlacchini’s - job was made harder when Jorge Martin and Raul Fernandez picked up injuries just a few laps into the Sepang test, depriving the manufact𝕴urer of two riders.

Their test plans were therefore forced to adapt.

“This is one of the probl✃ems, the difficult pa▨rt of our job,” Sterlacchini said.

“We are adaptin𝔍g, day by day, based on 🧔the result of the test items.

“We have slots for each items and we will respect ♛it.”

Bezzecchi has already noted the power of the Aprilia engine, but questioไned🐬 how their bike can maximise it.

“The development and the evolution of the bike♔? We must touch every point of the bike,” St🍎erlacchini said.

“This is one of the crucial points because it allows the rider to push the bike to the limit, to explore the re♑ar tyre.

“The electronics are like a black box, the engine will deliver the power that the e💝lectronics request.”

Starting quickly was a weakness of the Aprilia whichไ Sterlacchini is determined to fix.

“ಌYes, for sure,” he said. “We are focusing with the company, delegating different areas and different tasks.

“Th♓e start is an important point. The new generat♉ion of MotoGP, with aero and power, if you start at the back it is a difficult race.

“Starting at t🥀he front is a key point for performance.”

Sterlacchiꦰni brings expไerience from Ducati and KTM to his new job.

He knowꩲs the crunch task 🥃is to reduce the deficit to the dominant Ducatis, and eventually overtake them.

“It is always diffic⭕ult. For s🐓ure, we are absolutely in a good situation,” he said.

“The human aspec꧟t of tꦗhe company is at a super high level.

“The e𝄹xperience i🐻n racing comes from a long time ago.

“There is work to be done. In my experꦫience, there is margin to improve.

“We have a ꧃lot of material from the company, but also built here, such as the ele⛎ctronics.”