Enea Bastianini, the return. We’re finally here: the Ducati rider is ready to make his return and debut in an entire race weekend as an official Ducati rider after the scapula injury occurred in the Portimao Sprint Race, in the first round of the 2023 World Championship in MotoGP.
The rider from Romagna will therefore be back on the saddle of the Desmosedici GP 2023 after several weeks, although at the Spanish Grand Prix staged at the Angel Nieto in Jerez de la Frontera he managed to test in Free Practice 1, only to then have to forfeit due to the pains caused by the instability of the shoulder blade injured a few weeks earlier.
Now, however, everything seems to be in its place, or almost. The scapula has returned to giving good responses in training, but the track will give – as always – the definitive response on Enea’s condition and what she can and cannot do on the weekend of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.
Enea, you’re running again after a long time. How are you feeling?
“I have to say that I feel quite fit even if not 100%, but at least I know that I will be able to ride quite relaxed knowing that maybe I can get certain results. I don’t have any goals, other than to do my best. I don’t want to set myself goals Let’s see how tomorrow goes.”
What would you like to take home from this weekend?
“I’d like to take home good sensations in my shoulder from here, that’s the priority. I’ve been working on it for 3 months now and it would be a great satisfaction for me and for those who have helped me at home all this time”.
What do you think could be your biggest difficulty here at Mugello?
“The problem will be a little strength and my training. For about a month and a half I was unable to do practically anything, I had pain everywhere. In the last 2 weeks I’ve started to push a little harder, so I’ll have to see how I’m also physically fit, not just my shoulder. But as I said, I’m confident.”
Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
What was your feeling after realizing in Jerez that you can’t return?
“The initial feeling after Jerez was… anger. Because I thought I was in better shape. Unfortunately, after the first practice sessions, I knew I wouldn’t make it. I still tried to ride in FP2, but the pain was too much and after of course we did further checks to avoid other problems. Unfortunately it was just the scapula that was not consolidated. So I couldn’t lift my arm anymore, I couldn’t do anything anymore. So it’s like I went back 2 or 3 days and so I had to go back. Much more physiotherapy and in the last few days I suffered a lot. But I managed to get here to the level I hoped for. Indeed, maybe even something better. Let’s see”.
Now the MotoGP will face a hat-trick of races and you are right in the first of the three. Are you worried?
“I’m not worried about having to score a hat-trick right away. Let’s say that in the last 2 weeks I’ve made a big step forward. Even last week I almost managed to go back to doing the things I did before the injury with the same loads. So I’m happy.”
You saw the Sprint Race from outside. What do you think?
“It was interesting to see the Sprint Race from the outside because I saw certain things, you understand the dynamics better. I would have preferred to race, but I understood some things. Which obviously is always tough and giving 100% for 12 laps without thinking about consumption. in short… You have to think of it almost as a qualifying, rather than a race”.
Can the characteristics of the Mugello track put you in crisis from a physical point of view?
“Certainly from a physical point of view, the characteristics of the track could put me in a bit of a crisis. From a shoulder point of view, not that much, because braking is the one that bothers me the most at the moment even if it wasn’t so much with the Panigale Here is the hard braking at turn 1 and a few others”.
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