Bastianini speaks on why he Left “Angry” After Distant Malaysian GP Podium of Francesco bagnaia, Sets Sights on Barcelona

Despite securing a podium finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix, Ducati rider Enea Bastianini expressed frustration and disappointment after what he described as an unsatisfactory performance. The Italian racer, who inherited third place following Marc Marquez’s crash, found himself more focused on what went wrong during the weekend rather than celebrating the achievement.

Bastianini’s emotions were clear as he reflected on a race in which he was unable to challenge his factory Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia and Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin for the top spots. The race was largely dictated by Marquez’s fall on his 2023-spec Gresini Ducati, which allowed Bastianini to climb to the final podium position, though he finished over 10 seconds behind the winner, Bagnaia.

While the podium result in Malaysia brought Bastianini closer to Marquez in the battle for third place in the MotoGP standings, he could not hide his dissatisfaction

with his own performance. Heading into the season finale in Barcelona, Bastianini is within a point of Marquez, but his frustration is evident as he gears up for what could be a crucial race.

When asked about his feelings on securing podiums in both the Saturday sprint and Sunday’s main race, Bastianini was blunt: “No, I’m not very satisfied. Because I’ve been fighting with the bike a lot all weekend.”

The Italian noted that his weekend started with optimism, but things took a turn as he struggled to find the pace needed to compete with the front-runners. “We started well, but then we lost something. I was confident we could resolve the problem this morning, but nothing changed,” Bastianini explained.

Despite the podium finish, Bastianini admitted that luck played a part in his result. “I was lucky in the [Grand Prix] today because Marc crashed. But otherwise, nothing is positive. I was slow in the middle of the corners and had no speed on the entry. Today it was impossible for me to give 100%, and I’m angry.”

Bastianini’s sentiments reflect the high standards he holds for himself, especially after his impressive wins at the British and Emilia Romagna GPs earlier in the season. However, his recent struggles at Sepang have left him searching for answers as he prepares for the season finale in Barcelona.

The Spanish circuit will be a key opportunity for Bastianini to make amends for his disappointing performance at the Catalan GP earlier in the year, where he struggled with qualifying (starting 11th) and had a forgettable race, finishing 18th after a 32-second penalty for ignoring ride-through sanctions.

With just one race remaining and a tight fight for third place in the championship, Bastianini is determined to put his frustrations behind him and finish the season on a high. However, he will need to resolve his bike issues and regain the confidence that saw him challenge for wins earlier in the year if he is to clinch the podium finish he so desires at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

As the 2024 MotoGP season draws to a close, all eyes will be on the Ducati rider to see whether he can bounce back from his challenging weekend in Malaysia and deliver a strong finish to what has been a season full of highs and lows.