MotoGP | Bastianini: “2023 title? Difficult even without injuries”

In 2023, Ducati dominated the entire MotoGP championship, winning all the titles up for grabs and confirming itself as the brand to beat for next season too. Pecco Bagnaia triumphed for the second consecutive year, becoming the first Borgo Panigale representative to repeat for two years in a row and at the moment the Red seems to be experiencing a magical moment. However, there wasn't always serenity in the official team. Yes, because for one driver who rejoiced there was another who suffered.

Let's talk about Enea Bastianini, who had a debut season in the factory team that was anything but satisfactory. The rider from Romagna, in fact, moved from the 2022 bike to the 2023 one, an important leap that required a great deal of adaptation. However, the situation was not linear and this adaptation to the new bike was interrupted by the injury he suffered in the first race of the season. In the Sprint in Portimao (the first in MotoGP history), he was dragged to the ground by Luca Marini and fractured his right shoulder blade.

Not a great start to the season for Beast, which began an ordeal that effectively lasted the whole year. Having remained out for several races despite an attempt to return to Jerez, he returned to the track in June at Mugello, only to then get hurt again in Barcelona, ​​when at the start on Sunday he triggered the first carambola (with the second more famous one involving Bagnaia involved). Once again out of the game, Enea suffered throughout 2023, but managed to take away his satisfaction.

He will hardly forget the Malaysian Grand Prix, where he triumphed and was able to breathe again after almost an entire season of frustration. The final result doesn't do him justice, only 15th in the championship is certainly not what he aspired to at the beginning of the year. However, taking stock of 2023, Bastianini recognizes that even without the series of injuries that have haunted him, fighting for the title would have been a difficult undertaking.

Well before getting hurt, the Ducati rider had to fight against adapting to the GP23, which had radically changed compared to the one he was used to (and with which he had won) the previous year with the Gresini team: “Mentally and physically it was a difficult season. After the first injury, I realized that it was difficult or even impossible to get back on track quickly.”

“At that moment, I also understood that my chances of winning the title were 0,” continues Enea speaking to Speedweek. “He was very, very strange. When I came back, the shoulder wasn't well in the first three or four races. When I was okay again, I fell again and injured myself again. Mentally it was very, very difficult. I'm always focused and positive, but it's been hard to do that. But I came back, I won and this was very nice for all of us.”

The importance of getting back up, this is what Bastianini taught us in his 2023. The difficulties during the season did not prevent him from imposing himself when he saw he had the chance. In Sepang, the world championship wasn't at stake, but only pride and the great desire for redemption: “It was important. That weekend I was very focused on my goal. On Saturday I realized that I was fast in terms of pace. So I said to myself: 'ok, tomorrow I can win'. I went into the race with this goal and nothing else. My goal wasn't to finish on the podium, I just wanted to win again. I saw that Alex Márquez was close, lap after lap, once 7 tenths, then half a second, then 7 tenths again. In the end I pushed as hard as I could, even beyond the limit, and we did it.”

Injuries or not, Bastianini looks at reality and despite the triumph in Sepang, he recognizes that fighting for the title in his official debut year would have been an unrealistic hypothesis: “It would have been very difficult, because the 2022 bike was very good and fun for my driving style. The 2023 bike was harder to push to the limit. It was strange because one of my strengths is corner entry and with this bike it was difficult to understand. But in the end it worked out well. I was competitive in Malaysia and Qatar because we understood something. The team also knows me better. But yes, it would have been difficult for me to win the title, even without the injuries.”

Bastianini's performance also allowed him to gain the trust of the factory team, who did not put him aside for 2024. As anticipated before the season finale by Motorsport.com and confirmed by the Spaniard himself, Jorge Martin would have taken Enea's place if he had won the title, with the Romagna rider in Pramac. This did not happen and Ducati continued to show trust and support to the Italian.

Bastianini notices this and shows great gratitude: “It's very important for me, because Ducati's confirmation means 'ok, we support you'. They know my potential, everyone at Ducati, and last year that potential didn't materialize. In the end I succeeded, but I was always behind due to injuries. It was very difficult. But Ducati has always supported me and now the relationship with my technical chief and all my engineers is very good. I'm happy to be on this team.”