The 2024 MotoGP World Championship isn’t underway yet but that hasn’t stopped the fabled ‘silly season’ chatter to get underway in earnest ahead of the opening round with fresh speculation that Aprilia Racing is considering its options for 2025 and beyond.

Indeed, while the new season is still a couple of weeks away, movement in the rider market for 2025 is already underway, motivated by a number of key riders coming to the end of their current two-year contracts at the end of the year.

Top of the speculation pile is Aprilia Racing, which has gone from strength-to-strength since the last round of contract negotiations at the start of 2022, scoring its first wins with Aleix Espargaro and establishing itself as a regular contender for wins.

As such, Aprilia is likely to have more interest from higher profile riders coming into the year and stands to be the pivotal pawn in the strategic ‘silly season’ chess game.

As it stands, the factory Aprilia team currently has loyal collaborator Espargaro - who has raced with the team since 2017 - and Maverick Vinales on its books. However, there is uncertainty over whether Espargaro will continue racing beyond 2024 having previously intimated he might retire, while Vinales is under pressure having not picked up a win since joining mid-way through 2021.

In an interview with Gazzetta, Aprilia Racing CEO admitted he is ‘keeping his eyes open’ for a options  and has identified two front-line Ducati riders in Enea Bastianini and Marco Bezzecchi as potential targets to sign.

“I want to make a premise: we have two very strong riders, we won't set out with the intention of changing them… but I have to keep my eyes open.

"I have never hidden my interest in Enea Bastianini, even thinking about his condition [due to injuries last year].

“He is threatened by Marc Marquez, by Jorge Martin [for his factory Ducati seat in 2025]. And there is Bezzecchi who has impressed…”