It’s time to take stock. Like every year for three years, Let's talk MotoGP is embarking on a fairly important undertaking: taking stock of each driver at the end of the 2024 season, today, Enea Bastianini's turn. For a good part of the winter, we will go back through the rankings in reverse, to the point of talking in detail about the world champion's campaign. Are you ready? Here we go!
Yesterday, we returned to the case of Brad Binder; click here to find the corresponding article.
Big 4
We arrive in the top 4 of the general classification, this famous big 4, which largely stood out from the rest last season.
None of them had a bad campaign per sesince all of them have won races and/or have been important for this year's appearance. The most discreet – and the lowest ranked of the four – is none other than Enea Bastianini, ex-official Ducati rider. Ranked 186 points ahead of Brad Binder, he feared nothing, and even aimed for third place in the general classification until the last race.
One of the most beautiful liveries of recent years. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
His season was quite disappointing, even though he still won two Grands Prix and two Sprints. Some time ago, I did another article discussing his time with the Ducati factory team. For me, this is a failure, especially because his role was to play for the title, and he was never able to get close to it. That's the problem with such good pilots: the demands – or expectations – become very high, and I don't think I'm being dishonest in saying that Bastianini didn't surprise anyone.this season, by winning four races including two GPs.
On a machine clearly superior to the rest of the field, he could not compete with his colleague Pecco Bagnaia. In 2022, his reference year, he won four races in style.all on a Desmosedici GP21 Gresini Racing. Given what he was capable of achieving at the time, we cannot be satisfied to see Bastianini so little present at the forefront.
Surprises, but why?
An element not often mentioned pushes me to these conclusions. This season he won four races, Sprints included. The first two came at Silverstone, but there, already, no one seemed capable of explaining such performances. It was a surprise, while we were expecting the favorites Martin and Bagnaia, with, perhaps, in the background, Aleix Espargaro. Then, he won again at Misano, forcing the passage on the “Martinator” on the last lap. A limited maneuver, but which, again, led to surprising success. Finally, in Thailand, during the Sprint, Bastianini left nothing to the competition, even though he was absolutely not the favorite. Do you see the common denominator?
The surprise. Each time he won or finished well placed, it seemed more like a somewhat inexplicable surprise than a recurrence. And it's not normal that a rider as strong as Enea Bastianini still embodies “surprise”, when it should be, especially with a bike like this,
a regular favoritesomeone we are always waiting for.
Bastianini beat Martin at Misano, but fortunately the “Martinator” recovered. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
He was the only one of the four who gave that feeling. Marc Marquez, although third by only a few points, gave more the impression of being settled, especially after the Austrian Grand Prix. This is not to say that the Italian's triumphs – notably the two in Great Britain – were not beautiful, far from it! But I just think it's difficult not to consider him a disappointment given, firstly, the gap which separates him from Bagnaia and the world title, and secondly, this permanent outsider status which sticks to him the skin since his first podium in Misano at the end of 2021.
Bastianini, fourth, is in his place, but he shouldn't be who he is.
Some problems
Other elements make me qualify it that way. Since I just used that verb, let's talk about qualifications. He improved towards the end, that's for sure, but struggled for a long time on Saturday with some inexcusable appearances in Q1. In modern MotoGP, this is unacceptable. This forced him to become a good finisher, which he is, but we must not forget that this quality results from a shortcoming. If he could start in front every time, he would. Then, this regularity in performance, which separates him from the three best. On rare but already too many occasions, we have seen him fall out of the top 5 whether on Saturday or Sunday. It's cruel, but this season, the best almost never made a mistake when they finished on their wheels.
Conclusion
Obviously, I argued more against Bastianini because that is the angle I had chosen. Enea remains one of my favorite drivers due to his assertive characterand he had a season that many dream of on the grid. Also, he fell very little – only one abandonment on Sunday! –, and, more generally, helped the dramaturgy. But I honestly think that all the reasons mentioned above prevail, and that when it comes time to take stock, the negative takes over.
Moreover, this is undoubtedly why Ducati never really considered an extensionhesitating for a long time between Martin and Marc Marquez for his succession. Bastianini will have to settle for the KTM Tech3 next year, and the worst thing is that such a transfer is not even scandalous. It conveys quite well, I believe, the disappointment embodied by this pilot who had
better on a worse bike two seasons ago.
I'm curious to know if you share my opinion on Enea Bastianini, so, tell me in comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial staff.
What he did at Silverstone will always be remembered. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
