At last week’s Jerez test, the official MotoGP riders had their first taste of what awaits them next season, but the manufacturers will have until the Mandalika test in mid-February to prepare for further developments. However, others, such as Enea Bastianini, have been able to test the bike they will ride next year, given that it is the 2021 model.
The Italian made his MotoGP debut this season with Team Avintia, on a 2019 Ducati equipped with some updates. Now, with Gresini Racing, he has already been able to get on the new bike, the one driven this year by Pecco Bagnaia. Speaking to the championship’s official website, Bastianini said the experience was fantastic, highlighting the great progress the Borgo Panigale brand has made in recent months.
“I have tried the 2021 bike for the first time and it is incredible,” said the 2020 Moto2 world champion. “The bike is fantastic. It is faster than the 2019 bike in every respect. It is also more stable. more relaxed and smoother riding. I’m very happy and it’s great to be back with Gresini Racing. “
On the second day, after completing 76 laps, Bastianini said that the philosophy of the bike remained intact, but that the improvements were evident: “You can see that the DNA is the same, but clearly I was able to focus much more on the he drives because he moves much less and turns much better, while with the 2019 bike I was really struggling in this respect. And when I put the soft tire on to try to do a time attack, it came easy. I made some small mistakes during the I ride, I certainly could have done better, but in any case I felt at ease right away and I’m improving “.
Between Ducati’s excellent results in the season finale and this encouraging debut, Bastianini is looking forward to 2022: “It’s a much easier bike to push to the limit, so it will certainly help me a lot next year. that, I will probably have to work harder, I don’t think all my problems will disappear in two seconds. But being competitive from the start gives me hope and, above all, motivates everyone I work with. “
“I expected to be competitive from the start, that’s for sure, but not being in front right away. I think it was a very good day and, above all, I managed to do well despite the wind, which tends to give us problems. when it’s very strong. So I’m not saying we’ll never have any problems, but things are a little easier now, “said # 23, who finished the two-day Andalusian with a fifth fastest time.
This year’s GP21 seems easier for the Italian to ride, which seems to have given him high hopes: “I’m able to push straight away, which I didn’t have with the GP19, so I have a lot of confidence for next year. . We’ll see if I can also deserve some improvements on the bike. “
This ability to push immediately is what Bastianini sought the most in this test, after having often struggled in the first part of the weekend in 2021 and then being called to great comebacks on Sunday, which brought him to the podium in the two Misano races.
“I worked hard to be fast from the start, because every weekend I struggled in FP1 and then it got better and better. I was fast in the Warm-Up and even more in the race”, concluded Enea.
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