Enea Bastianini’s Stunning Comeback: From Struggles to Sprint Podium at the Australian GP

Enea Bastianini’s Remarkable Comeback in Australia: From Struggling to Securing an Unforeseen Third Place

Starting from 10th position on the grid, the Ducati racer clinched a podium finish in the Australian GP sprint.

Enea Bastianini reported that Ducati managed to address the problems with rear stability that troubled him throughout the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix weekend, just in time for the sprint race.

The official Ducati racer was unable to secure a spot in the Q2 positions following Friday's practice session. On Saturday morning, during the qualifying round after advancing from Q1, he only achieved a 10th-place finish.

Sign up for our MotoGP Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, exclusive content, interviews, and special offers from the MotoGP paddock straight to your email.

To learn more, please review our Privacy Policy.

However, Bastianini managed to turn this opportunity into a third-place finish in the sprint race, where he overtook his world champion teammate Francesco Bagnaia towards the end.

One of the main challenges Bastianini faced at Phillip Island was the instability at the back of his GP24 on the freshly laid track. However, after the sighting lap before the sprint, he felt confident that he could perform exceptionally well in the race.

He expressed his happiness regarding the unexpected podium finish in the sprint race, noting that he had struggled with rear-end issues throughout the weekend.

"The primary issue revolved around the movements. However, we managed to partially address this challenge when it came to the sprint."

During the sighting lap, I realized, "Alright, I have the potential to perform exceptionally well today." The race kicked off with an amazing battle, and in the final three to four laps, I was right on Marc Marquez's tail.

"However, I lacked an additional 0.1 or 0.2 seconds, which made it impossible for me to mount an attack against him."

"The freshly laid asphalt is quite decent, but the wind was exceptionally strong today."

"Furthermore, competing alone during the race posed significant challenges."

"When you were part of a group, it was challenging because the slipstream on the straight created a lot of turbulence, making it a really tough situation."

"Ultimately, we understand that this is just how Phillip Island is, with its winds and birds. It's a positive thing."

As the grand prix approaches, Bastianini remains doubtful that the soft rear tire he used in the sprint will be suitable for Sunday's race. To make a more informed choice, he plans to review Marco Bezzecchi’s data, who used the medium tire during his race.

He expressed that he was not in favor of using the soft tires on Sunday, stating that a more thorough evaluation of the situation with Michelin was necessary.

"Perhaps the most advantageous scenario would be to utilize the medium tire tomorrow, as we have Marco's data from when he used the medium on the rear during the sprint."

"Ultimately, he ended up crashing, but there's something we can verify."

Stay Informed

Sign Up for Our MotoGP Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, exclusive content, interviews, and special offers from the MotoGP paddock straight to your email.

For additional details, please refer to our Privacy Policy

Recent Updates

Additional Stories

Site Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce the text, photos, or illustrations in whole or in part in any manner.