The Catalan Grand Prix didn’t start in the best way for Enea Bastianini, who first smiled for grabbing direct access to Q2 and then ran into a penalty. The Ducati rider is in fact guilty of going through Turn 1 too slowly during the second free practice session, staying on the racing line and hindering another rider.
For this the Race Direction imposed three penalty positions on the starting grid. Bastianini will therefore have to remove three positions from the one he conquers in tomorrow’s qualifying, but as usual, the penalty will be applied to Sunday’s race. “It was observed that the rider was driving slowly, disturbing another rider at Turn 1. This goes against the precise instructions given to MotoGP riders and teams, and is considered irresponsible driving”, reads the note released by Race Direction confirming the sanction .
Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The Ducati rider will thus lose 3 positions on Sunday and will be forced into a race in defense, where however he will try to start as far forward as possible. In fact, Enea managed to directly access the decisive phase of tomorrow’s qualifying, the one that will award the pole position of the Catalunya Grand Prix. Beast appears more satisfied with this Friday which sees him take small steps forward.
However, the small snag of the penalty fails to make the day completely good. Situation that can happen and in which Bastianini ran into this weekend. What the rider from Romagna is concentrating on the most now is familiarizing himself better with the GP23 and trying to take further steps forward in view of the last part of the season, while on Sunday he will serve his penalty.
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