Enea Bastianini is determined to bring more “explosiveness” to his riding after concluding his four-year stint with Ducati in MotoGP.
The Italian rider, who has been with Ducati throughout his premier class career, will leave the Borgo Panigale factory at the end of 2024 to join Tech 3 KTM. Although he is grateful for the opportunities Ducati provided, Bastianini believes he needs to develop a more aggressive edge if he is to compete regularly with the front-runners in the future.
Bastianini first made his mark in MotoGP on satellite machinery, impressing with his speed and skill between 2021 and 2022. His performances earned him a promotion to Ducati’s factory team for 2023. However, injury setbacks limited his potential during his first season with the team, and while he claimed two race victories, Bastianini finished fourth in the championship, behind Marc Marquez.
Reflecting on his time at Ducati, Bastianini expressed general satisfaction but recognized the need to enhance his consistency and “explosiveness.”
“Not from the ’23 season, but for the rest, it was good,” Bastianini said when asked about his favourite Ducati moments. “Every year gave me different motivation, starting with 2021 at Avintia with a very difficult bike, but I managed to bring it to the podium in consecutive races at Misano.
“I won for the first time in my debut race with Gresini in Qatar, and 2022 was probably the best championship of my career. 2023, however, didn’t have any standout moments for me. In 2024, I had more consistency, always fighting at the front, but I felt like I lacked that explosiveness. I need to work on that for the future.”
Known for his exceptional late-race pace, Bastianini secured nine podiums in 20 races during the 2023 season, along with two victories in sprint races. However, inconsistency in qualifying hampered his overall performance, with an average starting grid position of 6.6, despite securing pole in the Portuguese GP.
Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, Bastianini admits that improving his consistency is crucial if he is to challenge for the title.
“I think my potential is very close to that of Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia] and Jorge [Martin],” Bastianini said. “But at times I wasn’t consistent, and that cost me. When I wasn’t starting at the front, I struggled to recover during the race. That can’t happen if you want to win the title. I know I can do more, and I hope to show that in the future.”
As he prepares for his next chapter with KTM, Bastianini’s goal is clear: harness his potential, improve his consistency, and take his performances to the next level.
