Aprilia has become the team to beat ahead of the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika. Luca Marini believes the 2026 RS-GP is more competitive than its predecessor, while the presence of four race-winning riders gives the manufacturer a formidable line-up. Jorge Martin, the current championship leader, is at the head of that group.

Last year’s event provides the backdrop to those expectations. Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez took first and third in qualifying, then reproduced the same order in the Sprint. Bezzecchi was also considered the leading contender for the Grand Prix, but a first-lap clash with Marc Marquez ended both riders’ races. Fermin Aldeguer then converted the opening into his maiden MotoGP victory.

Pedro Acosta, who finished between Aldeguer and Alex Marquez on last year’s podium, said Bezzecchi had carried an exceptionally fast pace throughout the weekend and would likely have won by a substantial margin without the crash. At that time, injuries to Martin and Ai Ogura meant that only two Aprilias were on the grid. Acosta now sees four machines that have been competitive in recent races, making Aprilia the clear pre-event favourite.

Marini is less willing to predict an easy result for himself. He argues that the improvement of the opposition has made a podium much harder to achieve, and would regard a top-seven finish as an excellent outcome. He also identified Marc Marquez and other Ducati riders as major threats. Marquez is just two points behind Martin after winning both races at Motegi, adding a strong championship challenge to the test facing Aprilia at Mandalika.