A bit like Marc Marquez – with whom he is still in battle for third place in the championship – Enea Bastianini is a referee in Malaysia. If he had won this Grand Prix last season, he is no longer the favorite, as the first two in the general classification seem to monopolize the debates. However, he also has a good chance to play, because third place in the scratch is gradually slipping away from him, due to the progress of Marc Marquez since the Austrian Grand Prix.
If everyone thinks of Bagnaia or Martin, Bastianini has his say. After all, he too won a Sprint in Thailand. But the two rivals fighting for the title are getting all the attention, and that's quite normal. Regardless, “Bestia” is quite happy with his day.
« It went a bit like I imagined.. At first I wasn't very competitive, but I was able to improve as the day went on. Lately I have suffered when there was little grip. Today it was very hot, the situation was complicated for everyone.
But there are some pretty incredible vibrations, maybe it's the tires, or maybe it's the track. But that doesn't make it any easier. » he confided in the columns of GPOne.
Fortunately, the Italian improved quite late and his effort was enough to take third place in Practice.
“Toward the end, I was a lot happier. I found the sensations I was looking for. We made some modifications to the bike and it felt better. » he added, aware of his potential.
Photo :
Michelin Motorsport
Can he beat Jorge Martin and, above all, his teammate Pecco Bagnaia, who finished first in both sessions of the day? He thinks so. “Lately, I'm fast in qualifying, and in Sprint too. I'm more worried about the Grand Prix because I don't know yet which tire I'm going to use. But today, I could have gone for first place. I don't miss anything on a tour, however, in terms of rhythm, Jorge is a tenth ahead of everyone. I think he’s the one who makes the difference.” he concluded.
Do you think he will be able to repeat the feat of Buriram tomorrow? Tell us in the comments!
MotoGP Practice result at the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix:
Ranking credit: MotoGP.com
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
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