Last year’s results earned Enea Bastianini a promotion to the Ducati factory team in MotoGP in 2023 – leaving Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) behind. However, injuries heavily affected the Italian from the start, and only in the final stages of the season was he truly able to show his potential.
During the Sprint race of the Portuguese GP, the first round of the year, Bastianini fractured a shoulder. A complicated injury to heal that kept him out until the Italian GP. In the meantime, he tried, unsuccessfully, to return at the Spanish GP – physical limitations were still significant about a month after the crash.
return at the Spanish GP – physical limitations were still significant about a month after the crash.
The return also involved a process of adaptation and acclimatization, after several weeks of absence and a short pre-season. Not surprisingly, this translated into somewhat modest results – including two retirements.
At the Catalunya GP, Bastianini suffered another serious accident – this time at the beginning of the main race. The resulting injuries led to his absence until the Indonesian GP. However, from then until the end, the Italian showed consistent performance and clear progress.
The highlight was undoubtedly the Malaysian GP, in which he was the clear and dominant winner. This was a crucial result on several levels – it may have secured his continuity at Ducati, in addition to being a confidence boost after a very difficult period.
At that time, after the victory, Bastianini stated in a press conference: ‘I don’t think it was difficult; it was a disastrous season because I had several injuries – two injuries. And also a lot of pain, especially after the first injury it was impossible to train. I spent three months without training. I went to the gym just to work a little on my legs, but you also have to work on the other parts [of the body] if you want to be fast on a [MotoGP] motorcycle‘.
The season ended with eighth place in Qatar, along with the fastest lap in the race, while in Valencia he was third in the Sprint race before retiring due to a crash in the main race. The final phase of the season revealed that Bastianini still has the abilities he showed in the past. He will have to demonstrate them to fight for top positions without setbacks and injuries in 2024, being obligated to “show his worth” to keep his place in the team.The season of Enea Bastianini:
Portuguese GP: Abandonment Sprint/Did not race in the GP – Not classified in the championship
Argentinian GP: Absent due to injury – Not classified in the championship
Americas GP: Absent due to injury – Not classified in the championship
Spanish GP: Did not race – Not classified in the championship
French GP: Absent due to injury – Not classified in the championship
Italian GP: 9th Sprint/9th GP – 20th in the championship
German GP: 10th Sprint/8th GP – 18th in the championship
Dutch GP: 8th Sprint/Abandonment GP – 18th in the championship
British GP: 13th Sprint/Abandonment GP – 18th in the championship
Austrian GP: 13th Sprint/10th GP – 18th in the championship
Catalan GP: 9th Sprint/Did not race in the GP – 18th in the championship
San Marino GP: Absent due to injury – 20th in the championship
Indian GP: Absent due to injury – 21st in the championship
Japanese GP: Absent due to injury – 21st in the championship
Indonesian GP: 7th Sprint/8th GP – 20th in the championship
Australian GP: 10th GP (no Sprint) – 19th in the championship
Thai GP: 13th Sprint/13th GP – 19th in the championship
Malaysian GP: 4th Sprint/1st GP – 15th in the championship
Qatar GP: 20th Sprint/8th GP – 15th in the championship
Valencia GP: 3rd Sprint/Abandonment GP – 15th in the championship