The departure of Maverick Viñales at the end of the MotoGP season has been confirmed and Aprilia will have to return to the rider market for 2025, having already signed Jorge Martín.
Who could succeed Viñales? The rider is currently the point of reference for the Noale manufacturer due to his results and his performances, which makes him not easy to replace. He is also the most experienced after Aleix Espargaró (who retires full-time and is expected to become a test rider for Honda).
An old desire, although not mandatory, is to have an Italian driver. In this case, according to the Motorsport.com website, there are two main candidates: Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, both currently at the end of their contracts with Pertamina Enduro VR46. Like Martín, they would come from a Ducati, which is currently the point of reference.
However, Miguel Oliveira is also being considered. The Portuguese rider is with the Trackhouse Racing satellite team and Aprilia is keeping an eye on him: ‘An Italian would be a possibility, but we will also have to see if Oliveira makes that final leap that he still needs’CEO Massimo Rivola recently told the GPOne.com website.
Regarding the Italians, another prominent rider without a contract for 2025 is Franco Morbidelli, who has only signed for one year with Prima Pramac. After missing the entire pre-season due to injury, he is showing clear signs of improved performance and is approaching the top positions, which strengthens his chances of renewal.
However, the team could become a satellite for Yamaha – a bike with which the number 21 had many difficulties between 2021 and 2023. In this context, Aprilia could be an interesting solution for Morbidelli, as well as VR46, given its link with the VR46 Riders Academy and the possibility that at least one current rider will move… to Aprilia. And of course, there would still be at least one place to explore in Gresini, where Marc Márquez will start from.
What if, on the contrary, a more unexpected name emerged in the contention? With Viñales joining Enea Bastianini at Tech3, Jack Miller is on the market. With experience on Honda, Ducati and KTM (in the last two cases as a factory rider), the Australian could also be an interesting solution for the Piaggio group manufacturer.
On the other hand, the experience factor must be considered. Without Espargaró and Viñales, Aprilia will find itself without the two riders who know the bike best. Adapting to a new bike and a new team, especially without internal references, can be a long and challenging process. Oliveira (or Raúl Fernández) could provide a small contribution to Martín in this regard, while another rider without any previous experience with the bike and the manufacturer could represent a longer adaptation process for both themselves and Martín.
