A pilot who has achieved five victories in the premier class, some of them dominant and others contested, in 49 Grand Prix starts, Enea Bastianini has already shown his ability to compete for the MotoGP title. However, what still needs to be proven is whether he can compete for the title in the current iteration of MotoGP. This may seem like a harsh distinction, but Bastianini himself seems to be aware of it. At 26 years old, the Italian rider believes in his ability to adapt to the current championship format.
Although Ducati does not necessarily require Bastianini to fight for the title, as they already have Pecco Bagnaia for that purpose, the team finds itself in a situation where they would have a lot to lose if they let either of these riders go. If Ducati let any of these riders go, other manufacturers could potentially acquire them and use their skills to defeat Ducati. Jorge Martin, currently riding for Pramac Ducati, openly desires Bastianini’s spot. During the Qatar Grand Prix, Martin, a title contender in 2023, stated that he would have already signed for the official team if he had received the offer. He sees himself as the main competitor for that spot and believes that Ducati would choose him based on his performance.
Martin alone represents a significant threat, and most MotoGP riders would eagerly accept the opportunity to occupy Bastianini’s place. Whether any of them will have the chance to do so depends on Bastianini’s ability to effectively utilize his strengths in a format that may not perfectly align with his skills. Bastianini has adjusted his approach for this season, aiming to maintain a more consistent performance. He acknowledges that, although he achieved four victories and several podiums in the 2022 season, there were moments when he fell behind. He worked diligently during testing to improve his fast lap skills, recognizing the importance of consistently staying at the top. This year, his approach will be slightly different, and he is eager to see how it unfolds.
Qualifying is an essential aspect of MotoGP, and Bastianini understands this very well. His average grid position in MotoGP is 12.3, which is not enough for success. However, he has proven that he can achieve a record lap pace when conditions are favorable, having secured a pole position at the Red Bull Ring and stood out during pre-season. Bastianini recognizes that qualifying is only one part of the equation and that everything leading up to the race is equally important.
With the introduction of the short races, the “lights out” of MotoGP has been brought forward by one day. As a result, the qualifying now takes place one session earlier, and the 10 spots in Q2 are determined based on the training sessions held previously. Although the opening free practice of the weekend no longer contributes to Q2, the need for a good performance from the start remains crucial, as Friday essentially becomes the day of qualifying. Although the data from the first training session is often unreliable, it is worth noting that Bastianini’s performance in FP1 was not as impressive as his qualifying performances. His average position in FP1s during the 2022 season was 10.95, compared to his average grid position of 9.00. In 2023, his average position in FP1s was 13.62, while his average grid position was 12.31. Bastianini recognizes the importance of being aggressive from the start of each session, as MotoGP is now a constant battle.
Another challenge for Bastianini is that his specific skillset is less valuable when it comes to scoring points. In 2022, he was able to recover from a Q1 elimination and salvage the weekend with his late race pace. However, since 2023, a Q1 elimination carries a larger penalty, and the short race offers limited opportunities to make up for it. Despite struggling with the GP23 and suffering frequent injuries in 2023, Bastianini still showed flashes of his skill at the end of the race. In the penultimate round in Qatar, he set the fastest lap of the race on the 22nd and final lap, despite finishing in eighth place. While each of the podium finishers achieved lap times in the 1m54s range, Bastianini clocked a lap time in the 1m52s range. This skillset will always have its place, but alone is not enough to secure the top position in MotoGP. Bastianini has been focused on improving his early race pace, recognizing that this requires a mental shift and a more aggressive approach.
The upcoming Grand Prix of Qatar will be the first major test of Bastianini’s new approach, but it is his performance on less favorable tracks that will truly determine his fate. The outcome will likely determine whether he can fend off competition from Martin and others for his seat or if he will have to settle for a lesser opportunity.
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