THE RIDER FROM SAN MARINO JOINS JACOPO CERUTTI IN THE TOUT
TERRAIN RALLY CUP EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
MARCO MENICHINI AND FRANCESCO MONTANARI CONTINUE THE APRILIA
TUAREG RACING CAMPAIGN IN THE ITALIAN MOTORALLY STARTING AT THE
END OF THE MONTH
Milan, 12 March 2026 – Aprilia Tuareg Racing prepares to tackle the rest of the season
by welcoming Thomas Marini, who officially joins the Aprilia Tuareg Racing off-road
project in collaboration with GCorse run by the Guareschi brothers.
A true off-road specialist, Marini’s palmarès includes the 2024 Italian Raid TT
Championship title, as well as victories in the prestigious Albania Rally and
Transanatolia Rally in 2025. These successes are bolstered by national 300-class
motocross titles won in the 2016–17 biennium. The rider from San Marino has also
made an excellent debut at the Africa Eco Race, securing an overall stage win and
four other top-five finishes.
Thomas Marini is now set to make his debut in the 2026 Tout Terrain Rally Cup aboard
the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. He will join Jacopo Cerutti for the four scheduled rounds of
the European Championship: Spain (April 12–18), Greece (May 25–31), Romania
(July 10–18), and Italy (October 13–17).
In addition to the European programme, Marini will take part in several testing sessions
throughout the year and will participate in the first round of the Italian Motorally as a
wildcard. Furthermore, he will compete in the Addax Rally in Morocco (October 25–
30), which is a key step ahead of the 2027 Africa Eco Race. There, he will line up on
the starting grid in Aprilia colours alongside Jacopo Cerutti.
Aprilia Tuareg Racing’s season calendar has expanded to include a dual commitment:
the European Championship and the Italian Motorally Championship. Marco Menichini
and Francesco Montanari will compete in the latter aboard the multi-award-winning
Tuareg Rally. The four scheduled rounds for the national series are: Alassio (March
28–29), Olbia (May 16–17), Gioia dei Marsi (June 20–21), and Umbertide (September
12–13).
A benchmark in the global rally raid scene, the Aprilia Tuareg Rally has earned the title
‘Queen of Africa’ thanks to its competitiveness and reliability on African soil. Over the
last three years, the collaboration between Aprilia and GCorse has resulted in the
development of a bike capable of winning every challenge. Notable successes include
two consecutive titles in the Africa Eco Race (in 2024 and 2025), victories in the Baja
Aragón, Hellas Rally Raid, Ro Rally Marathon, and the last three Italian Motorally
Championships.
THOMAS MARINI
“I am very happy and proud to join the Aprilia family. The goals for the season are
ambitious: there is a great desire to do well and fight for the lead in every race. It won’t
be easy, as it’s a new bike for me, but I am certain that together with Team Guareschi
we will do significant development work, and they will put me in a position to give 100%.
I want to thank Aprilia Racing and everyone who made my signing possible. I am sure
we will achieve great satisfaction.”
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI
“We are excited to welcome Thomas Marini to our team. It was a natural choice: the
desire to collaborate was mutual, and the agreement was a logical consequence. In
recent years, Thomas has stood out internationally for his excellent results; we know
his value well and are ready to provide him with a competitive Aprilia Tuareg Rally. We
will start immediately with a test in Riotorto, followed by the first round of the Italian
Motorally ahead of our European debut in the Tout Terrain Rally Cup. We are fired up
and can’t wait to get started.”
Michael Le Pard (“Mr. Totalmotorcycle”) is the Founder of Total Motorcycle, the world’s largest motorcycle information site, trusted by over 430 million riders since 1999. With over 34 years of experience in motorcycles, gear and rider culture, he has built a global community dedicated to empowering and inspiring motorcyclists.
Total Motorcycle remains his passion project. Combining expert research, hands‑on knowledge and a commitment to helping riders make informed decisions about bikes, gear and safety worldwide.
