It's no secret that Aprilia are the team to beat in 2026, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the team to be on in 2027. The massive regulation overhaul which is set to be introduced next year could dramatically shake up the grid and will inevitably strip away all the progress teams have made under the current ruleset.

Current championship Marco Bezzecchi has already signed a multi-year deal and the rumour that Francesco Bagnaia will be joining his compatriot at the Italian team next year seems to be a near certainty.

However, that's not the end of the shakeup. At satellite team Trackhouse Racing, Japanese talent Ai Ogura is believed to be departing for a factory Yamaha seat alongside Jorge Martin next year, meanwhile team boss Davide Brivio looks set to join Honda.

As for Raul Fernandez, his future remains uncertain. The Spanish rider is out of a contract next year and his performances, while occasionally brilliant, have not been consistent.

His recent collision with Jorge Martin, Aprilia's factory rider and championship contender, at the Catalan Grand Prix certainly won't have won Fernandez many new friends inside the garage.

Earlier this season, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola stated his intentions to keep the team Italian-focussed and primarily target Italian talent when it comes to future riders:

"The idea of [Aprilia] being a sort of national team for two-wheeled racing—with all due respect to our colleagues—is something that comes almost naturally when you put all these elements together. Will it bring us more interest? We hope so. Will it bring us more sponsors? We hope so. We’re interested in strong riders, and there are strong riders in Italy. So why not?" He told GPOne.

While Italy is certainly not short on talents with the likes of Luca Marini and Enea Bastianini becoming free at the end of the year, with the likes of Nicolo Bulega and Celestino Vietti also waiting in the wings, it's hard to argue that any of them would currently merit the Trackhouse satellite seat more than Fernandez.

The 25-year-old, though hot headed at times, has already proven his belonging in the premier class. A maiden victory at last year's Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island capped off a solid season in which the Spaniard finished 10th overall. This year, he already picked up a podium in the opening round of the season in Thailand and currently sits sixth in the rider's standings.

A deal between Monster Energy and Aprilia is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix in Mugello as the Italian-based team pick up their first ever mainline title sponsor. While the move is certainly beneficial for the team, it could have negative consequences for Red Bull sponsored rider Jorge Martin. Read the full story here.