Marco Bezzecchi: ‘Fortunately Valentino understood, I was a bit afraid!’

Marco Bezzecchi will achieve his factory MotoGP dream in 2025 after signing for Aprilia.

But it will mean the end of a five-year stint at Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team, which began in Moto2 in 2020, then saw promotion to MotoGP in 2022.

Bezzecchi was the revelation of last year's premier-class campaign with three victories and third in the world championship on a year-old Ducati.

The young Italian then turned down the chance to secure factory GP24s by moving to Pramac this season, a decision that looked to backfire as he struggled with the GP23 so far this year.

However, with Maverick Vinales leaving Aprilia, the factory set its sights on a home rider and performances such as Bezzecchi’s huge win in India last year meant he sealed the 2025 RS-GP seat alongside Jorge Martin.

But what was Rossi’s reaction?

“Last year I had the opportunity to change team, but my decision was to stay because once I've changed, I wanted to change for a full factory team,” Bezzecchi said at Assen on Thursday.

“Last year, of course, Ducati gave me the possibility to go in the factory supported [Pramac] team. That was a very good offer. But I didn't know if I could feel the same with the team like I feel right now.

“This year was different. I had the opportunity to change from my team to a full factory team.

“With Valentino, we are both a bit sad for this, but also he is very happy for me.

“We spoke a lot during these days and we saw each other on Monday to see the Italian football team and it was the day when the [Aprilia] news came out.

“We hugged each other and he was very happy for me, so fortunately he understood everything. I was a bit afraid to be honest!

“But he understood and he was like a good friend, so I'm very happy for this.”

Bezzecchi added: “Last year he didn't tell me, ‘Stay here, don't go to Pramac’. He just made me an offer and I decided to stay. And he did the same this year.

“But I asked him more advice. I spoke a bit more with him and I was sure that he could understand because he already passed this moment in his career. And he completely understood my decision.

“So of course it was a difficult moment because I feel amazing with the [VR46] team. But I was dreaming about [a factory team] since the beginning of my career, so this was my target to achieve. So, he was happy for me.”

Being a factory rider will also mean Bezzecchi has the chance to mould a MotoGP bike around his own riding style more.

“Being in a factory team is completely different. I have many friends that are there like Pecco, Luca, Frankie was there also. And speaking with them, they told me many things that for sure will change,” he said.

“But honestly, the proper work, I really don't know at the moment, but I'm very curious to discover it. But for sure the support is good already right now, but it will be different, so we will see.”

Bezzecchi, who won last year’s Assen Sprint and was second to Francesco Bagnaia in the grand prix, returns holding eleventh in the world championship, with one podium (Jerez) this year.