The battle for the 2026 MotoGP world championship has narrowed down to an intense showdown between Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez, with just two points separating them at the top of the standings. While the Noale factory recently celebrated a historic top-four lockout at Mandalika, the technical department is already bracing for a tense final five rounds.
Aprilia technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini has openly highlighted specific circuits remaining on the calendar that could pose serious threats to their premier-class title ambitions. The fight against the dominant Borgo Panigale machines remains fiercely unpredictable, especially given that their main riders missed several of these rounds due to injuries last season, leaving them with limited RS-GP data.
Assessing the remaining venues including Phillip Island, Sepang, Lusail, Portimao, and Valencia, Sterlacchini admitted that certain tracks present unique challenges. "It's difficult to say, not because I don't want to, but for example, we were supposed to be in 'defence mode' in Spielberg, but then we did a really good weekend," Sterlacchini explained regarding their fluctuating performance.
The technical boss specifically pointed out Sepang and Qatar as the primary locations causing the most anxiety within the garage. Historical data from last year showed the RS-GP struggling to unlock peak performance at both venues, whereas their primary rivals managed to secure dominant victories even in the absence of their lead rider.
"We are working to be as prepared as possible in Sepang, then clearly in Qatar Jorge last year didn't race, so basically these two are the two tracks where we are a bit more concerned," Sterlacchini concluded, while noting that Valencia remains a neutral ground heavily favoring left-hand corner specialists.
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