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MotoGP, Bastianini: “There might have been a plan, but I didn’t get the message”

Bagnaia: “I had made no mistakes when Bagnaia passed me again. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take advantage of the soft. The pressure on the front increased, and I couldn’t use my strongpoint.”

MotoGP: Bastianini: “There might have been a plan, but I didn’t get the message”

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A 9th place, 10” behind the winner, Jack Miller, isn’t the greatest thing that could have happened to Enea Bastianini, who started from the fifth row with a 15th time. Unfortunately, his position at the start, in the modern MotoGP, counts almost more than his pace, and the Beast realized this when, despite having chosen a soft rear tire, he wasn’t able to swim upstream like a salmon in the Japanese Grand Prix.

But it’s just as well because, thanks to the mistake Bagnaia made, failing to disengage the “Economy Map” from Aleix’s RS-GP, Enea recuperated points, especially on the Spanish rider, and now he’s at -24 from him.

A 49-point gap from Quartararo is a lot. The World Championship is becoming ever more a dim light in the distance for Bastianini, but his other two opponents are not too far behind, with four races left and 100 points still available.
Actually, I was quite happy with my choice of the rear soft tire,” Enea confessed at the finish. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t overtake mich, remaining behind my opponents. The pressure increased, and I couldn’t take advantage of my strongpoint, which is entering corners.

His Grand Prix was spent on the duel with his future teammate, Pecco Bagnaia, and many didn’t miss it when Davide Tardozzi visited his garage. But how was that duel, until Pecco's mistake?
We always see what’s good or bad,” Bastianini explained. “Pecco always comes off very strong, while Fabio does a lot in distance and speed, and he’s very efficient in riding. I have this entry that I can take advantage of with worn tires, but I didn’t use it well today. I don’t know if the glass is half full or half empty. I’d say that we had a good race. Unfortunately, like I said, I was unable to take advantage of the soft tire at the beginning, because I was struggling to overtake. We didn’t take advantage of the strongpoint, but we remained steady at a low 46. I say that these are important points. We took away a good amount from Bagnaia and Aleix Espargarò. When I didn’t have lots of riders in front of me, I kept a good pace. I was really fast, but it wasn’t easy because Bagnaia is very strong in the lead ... The tire dropped right after I passed  Pol Espargarò. And, four laps from the end, I was really on edge keeping behind Fabio and Pecco, but I had to try to stay there, attached ... .

Someone had the impression that you facilitated Bagnaia. Did you, or did he really surprise you?
I had made no mistakes when I lost my position again to Pecco, That’s how it went. I wasn’t given any recommendation from the garage. There might have been a plan, but I didn’t get the message.”

 

Translated by Leila Myftija
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