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Enea Bastianini is back, like all the Ducati riders on the grid, from a record-breaking WDW. The public's affection in Misano literally overwhelmed even the Beast, who is living the last part of his adventure in Ducati before moving to KTM with Tech3 in 2025. Enea arrives in Britain in 4th position in the world championship 11 lengths behind Marc Marquez. The goal will undoubtedly be to hit at least the rainbow podium at the end of the season, but to do so requires a change of pace especially in qualifying.
In fact, Bastianini has often put a benchmark race pace on the plate, but it is precisely in qualifying that something is missing and this is the aspect on which he must work to aspire to play for victory in every race weekend. Meanwhile, Silverstone is a track he likes and on which he can aim to change the inertia of his championship.
"I didn't really have zero vacation, something I did - Enea explained - I would say I can't complain, I trained, but I also rested, I saw my friends. Here in Silverstone I see myself well, I like the track very much. It's very fast, very unique. Hopefully it will be a sunny weekend."
How was WDW?
"WDW was great, because you are there with all the fans who are there for you. It was like a Grand Prix, during the race there were so many people in the stands and it was beautiful. For me, the race was also a lot of fun. On Saturday I pushed harder, but then on Sunday I saw how it was going in the first corner and I decided to take it easy just thinking about having fun. The new Panigale V4 goes really fast, it is very stable. In my opinion it is more like a MotoGP bike today."
What about the incident between Marquez and Bulega, did you see it up close?
"Yes, I was detached but I saw it. Let's say glimpsed it. I wasn't riding with Nicolò...that's what happened, I feel sorry for him that he got a little bit hurt and I would say that Marc could have avoided going in. I understand that when you are in a race there are those who can manage and those who can't."
Marc is also your main rival in the standings today.
"We all know Marc, he is a huge talent. It will be difficult to beat him, but I can try and I think I have a chance to do it. I think Pecco and Jorge are the strongest at the moment, it will not be easy to close the gap to them but we will try."
What do you think you lacked in the first part of the season to stay with them?
"There is a lack of explosiveness in qualifying and that is what I will try to find again for the next races. I'm fast on the pace, many times I'm as fast as the race winner and that motivates me. But on the other side I wonder why I always start so far away. So this is the aspect I have to work on the most, because I have to avoid qualifying badly. But it's also something that has to come on its own, and I hope that soon I will be able to do that to always play the races. I studied all the data a lot, I think I have something to change and I hope to find a solution here as well to complete a perfect weekend, let's say to close the loop."
So have you identified a specific problem?
"The main problem is that I push so much on the front, I am aggressive. But you actually do the fast lap by focusing on the rear and not vice versa. I have to change my style from this point of view to make better use of the new rear in qualifying. Usually for example I don't drift it much, but in qualifying this pays off, I know this because I see other people's data. The set-up of the bike affects it, but it's not really what makes the difference. It's really about a different step that I have to make with respect to the bike and riding. At the beginning of the year I was fast on the dry lap and maybe not so fast in the race, then it went the other way around. I have to combine the best of both situations."
A market rumor has bounced around that would have seen you on the verge of going to Pramac rather than confirming at KTM. Can you explain it?
"Let's say they are rumors that I also heard during the break, but I can say that I was always convinced of the choice I made. An offer had come from Pramac, that's true. But I think KTM is the best solution for me, even though I haven't got on the bike yet. It will be a complete change, but I will find Pigiamino again, I evaluated many things over the Mugello weekend to put together the best possible condition for me."
You're racing with a distinctive livery here. Do you like it?
"I like the livery, it's beautiful, but there are a lot of sponsors so it's different than the original it was inspired by. It is very reminiscent of it, and my helmet is also very nice."
Automatic Translation by DeepL
