Following their dominant display at last weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, Aprilia will be looking to continue their good form and hold of Ducati in what is sure to be a competitive and high-stakes race.

Marco Bezzecchi, who currently leads the rider's standings ahead of teammate Jorge Martin, is currently on a streak of four consecutive wins stretching back to Portugal last year, and will be looking to add a fifth in Austin, Texas.

However, team boss Massimo Rivola is remaining grounded ahead of the USA Grand Prix, urging his team to "think big" and perhaps settle for a solid, rather than spectacular, weekend.

"We're going to a place that's Marc's home track, one of the many places he has around the world, perhaps." He said. "We're not the strongest there. We're going to Jerez, where everyone has a lot of data. And then we'll see. After these two races, maybe we'll have an idea. But the first two, especially with this new one, it's still too early."

Marquez has won six times at the COTA track, and Ducati have won the last four Grand Prix races here, though Aprilia did achieve a sprint victory here in 2024 with Maverick Vinales.

"My message is that we all need to think big." continued Rivola,"But with our feet on the ground and with humility. We had a great time, but that's where it ends. Tomorrow we get up early and head to Austin, fully focused on the race weekend,"

The comments follow a spat between team bosses at Aprilia and Ducati which appears to be increasing as the season unfolds. Having dominated MotoGP for the last few years, this is the first time Ducati have faced a serious threat to their status as the lead manufacturer.

The Thai Grand Prix was a perfect example of this. Ducati's 88-race podium was finally broken when Marquez was forced to retire due to a rear tyre and wheel rim failure, an incident which Davide Tardozzi described as a 'slap in the face'.

Check out the full weekend schedule as well as where to watch the all the action here.