It is further testament to the progress Aprilia has made in recent years that Maverick Vinales' defection to Tech3 for 2025 has made his current and immediately vacated ride the most attractive destination in the MotoGP market – and Aprilia has clearly never had to work too long or too hard. Another proven winner will join.
But Marco Pizzicchi's move from VR46 Ducati, as logical as it is, creates more rippling effects in a ridiculous season that seems to be coming to an end but has room for another development or two.
Here's our take on the biggest consequences of Bezzecchi's promotion.
VR46 slot open for Morbidelli
Franco Morbidelli has not had a great time in MotoGP since his star emergence in 2020 – but he has never felt under much threat of dropping off the grid, given his status as VR46's original success story and the fact that Valentino Rossi certainly still has enough drag to the paddock to ensure that Morbidelli Finds a place somewhere.
But now, with Pizzicchi vacating his place in Rossi's squad, Morbidelli appears to be the obvious replacement.
There is probably still a scenario in which Morbidelli stays at Pramac, given that he has finally shown flashes of speed on the Ducati after a very poor pre-season.
But the more riders are ruled out, the less likely Pramac is to stay with Ducati given the scarcity of available riders who can keep the team anywhere near the current heights led by Jorge Martin in 2025. This lucrative Yamaha offer couldn't look more tempting.
With the ranks of Ducati riders still depleted and the VR46 team having long indicated that it would welcome Morbidelli with open arms when the time is right, it looks like a perfect match.
The only other rider in the VR46 Academy who could be in play to replace Bezzecchi is Moto2's Celestino Vietti, but his current intermediate class form suggests he will be a distant second priority in determining Morbidelli's future.
Things are becoming clear for Di Giannantonio
Bezzecchi dominated current team-mate Fabio Di Giannantonio (then at Gresini) when they were MotoGP rookies on the same machinery in 2022 respectively, and – for the most part – when they were sophomores in MotoGP as well.
But in their third year together, although now paired with a VR46 chassis that you'd expect to be more bent towards Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio was clearly ahead.
Bezzecchi may have hit a bit of a high this year. But Di Giannantonio has scored nine top-seven finishes (across sprint races and grands prix) to Basic's two, so it would not have been a huge shock if Aprilia had gone the other way with its decision on who would partner Martin.
But she didn't do that. What it did was remove another rider from the Ducati equation, making Di Giannantonio, if not indispensable, at least intuitively valuable in the Desmosedici client chassis.
If Pramac stays, one way or another, it is almost impossible to foresee a scenario in which Di Giannantonio will be left without a Ducati bike. But even if Pramac leaves, Di Giannantonio should be able to extend a MotoGP career that seemed over a year ago, and do so in a good place.
The current team VR46 or the former Gresini team would certainly get him.
It may depend on which team gets Ducati factory-contracted Fermin Aldeguer – Gresini appears to have closer business ties with Ducati, but the VR46 team was already keen on Aldeguer last year.
But Aldeguer's situation could also open the way for Di Giannantonio to get factory-spec machines for the first time. Aldeguer team principal Hector Faubel – you'll know him as a former 125cc title contender with Aprilia – recently confirmed to Mundo Deportivo that the 19-year-old is not virtually guaranteed a factory Ducati next year.
Alternatively, Ducati could put him on the GP24 or GP25 next year. Only for 2026 does it owe him the latest model – you might recognize this as the same contractual arrangement it had with Pecco Bagnaia for its MotoGP debut.
But if Aldeguer starts with GP24, who should get the corresponding GP25? Right now, there is no more deserving contender than Di Giannantonio.
Trackhouse (and Aprilia) can get to work
Aprilia's deal with Bezzecchi removes the ultimate “good” factory seat from the market. Only two are nominally available now – Alex Rins at Yamaha and Joan Mir at Honda – and according to Spanish website Motorsport.com, Mir is not going anywhere. Despite seemingly conflicting suggestions, Honda may earmark a ride for Toprak Razcatlioglu if he wants to move to the MotoGP World Championship at any cost.
Rins' position is surprisingly more ambiguous, but every affiliate team that still has chances is anyway ahead of Yamaha in the standings, because the M1 isn't there yet.
Now that Aprilia's factory lineup is sorted, Aprilia should – and will likely help – its Trackhouse team maximize its 2025 roster.
After all, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola has already suggested that he is allied with Trackhouse boss Davide Brivio on the matter and will play at least some role in the selection process – and he has made it clear that he believes there are good options with first-class experience in the market.
Ultimately, Trackhouse may stand still and decide that Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez are still on their way forward. It would not be an outrageous conclusion to take advantage of the current state of the market.
But the free agent pool has not been completely exhausted. At the very least, if I were Brivio, I would contact my former Suzuki rider Renz to see if everything is okay with Yamaha and if there is any way he would consider a reunion.
The other option is to draft the best talent available in Moto2, something Trackhouse should be well placed to do as all the Ducati teams scramble to see which of them will still be on the Ducati teams next year.
I would argue that the “top talent available” is not USA Pick Joe Roberts – but tournament leader Sergio Garcia.
