MotoGP: Enea Bastianini Opens Up On Unexpected Thai MotoGP Sprint Result

Saajan Jogia | Oct 26, 2024

Apr 14, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Enea Bastianini (23) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team raises his trophy on the podium after he finishes in third place in the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ducati MotoGP rider Enea Bastianini opened up on his surprising victory in the Thai MotoGP sprint race, where he clinched the win with a notable margin of 1.3 seconds. Reflecting on the achievement, he admitted, “I wasn’t ready for the win today.”

The Italian rider noted a key characteristic of the Chang International Circuit, emphasizing its potential for much harder braking into corners. This aspect allowed him, particularly while leading the race, to capitalize on the track's demands and build a substantial gap within the first three laps. Speaking on this unexpected triumph, Bastianini told the media:

“It was more than my expectation, the race of today.

“The qualifying has been [good], but, checking my pace, I wasn’t ready to win today.

“But, at the end, I don’t know, all the race I give my 100 per cent from the first lap.

“Also, to be alone probably, in that track, can be an advantage, because you can brake much harder and also for the temperature of the tyre, we know that.”

Bastianini credited a setup breakthrough with his Desmosedici GP24 for his performance but remains concerned about his race-long pace. He added:

“At the moment, we have found something, probably, because for the qualifying always we are competitive.

“But, we have more problems for the long distance. We have to solve that problem for the three races that remain.”

For Sunday's Grand Prix, the 26-year-old rider expects the full-distance race will likely demand the hard compound, though most riders opted for the medium compound for Saturday’s sprint. He said:

“For me, it can be a risk to put the medium [compound tyre] on the rear [for the Grand Prix].

“Also, for the Sprint, it was pushing a bit the front, and when I start to push the front started to move a bit.

“Probably the best solution will be the hard [compound rear tyre]. It’s not my choice at 100 per cent for tomorrow, but probably the hard will be the choice.”

Bastianini led most of the race, despite losing position to Jorge Martin off the line. But when Martin made an aggressive move on Francesco Bagnaia, both ran wide under braking, giving Bastianini the perfect opening to seize the lead. He added:

“Well, when I was in first position after the first corner, inside my mind I think ‘Okay, you have to push for three, four laps to try to bring some distance’.

“At the end, I also [take] some risks to do it. At the end, it was the good choice. After, I have managed very well the situation, because for all the race the gap to the rider behind was always 1.3, 1.4 seconds.”