Bastianini’s Hasty KTM Decision: Could Aprilia Have Been a Better Fit?

Enea Bastianini’s decision to join KTM for the upcoming season has been criticized as hasty, with suggestions that he might have made a more advantageous choice if he had waited.

Bastianini, who was in the running for the 2025 factory Ducati seat, opted for KTM’s Tech3 team after Marc Marquez secured his spot at Ducati. This move has led to speculation that Bastianini might have acted in haste.

According to TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson, Bastianini rushed his decision: “In reality, we know he wanted to stay, but they took it away from him.” I think he panicked a little bit. He jumped at the Tech3 KTM seat as everyone quickly filled all the seats.

Hodgson believes that Bastianini missed out on an opportunity with Aprilia: “If he had waited just a few days. The factory Aprilia ride would have become available, and I think they would have chosen him over Marco Bezzecchi. He might regret that decision now.”

For next season, KTM has announced an exciting line-up with Bastianini and Maverick Vinales at Tech3. Promising them machinery on par with the factory team’s Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta. However, KTM’s struggle to match the dominant Ducatis has been a concern.

Sylvain Guintoli highlighted ongoing issues with KTM’s performance: “There is no clear solution right now. They are restructuring, and their technical director, Fabiano Sterlacchini, is leaving. KTM seems to be struggling, while Ducati and Aprilia are advancing.”

Hodgson added that the problems KTM faces are multifaceted: “It’s not just one key issue but a combination of small details, which makes it difficult to fix. Even minor improvements are challenging to achieve.”

Despite KTM’s promising new line-up, the team’s recent struggles have affected even their promising rookie, Pedro Acosta. After strong early performances, Acosta has not been competitive in recent rounds, leading to further concerns about KTM’s current form.

Guintoli noted Acosta’s early success: “Acosta showed great speed early on, but he has faced some difficulties recently, including crashes, which have impacted his performance.”