Bastianini: I look forward to redeeming myself

A shock Sepang victory aside, Enea Bastianini didn’t finish a GP higher than eighth place during his debut season at the factory Ducati team.

Peter McLaren

22 Jan 2024

Injuries played a big part, of course, with the four-time Gresini Ducati race winner missing nine of the 20 Sunday races.

But even when he wasn’t hurt, the Italian struggled to feel comfortable on the GP23, which notably required a different corner-entry technique.

The good news for 'Bastia' is that an early version of the GP24 tried at the Valencia test was closer to the old feeling during braking and entry. But he knows that maximising the upcoming six days of pre-season testing in Sepang and Qatar will be crucial.

"2023 was a challenging year, and I look forward to redeeming myself in the upcoming season. We have an exciting 2024 ahead of us,” Bastianini said at Monday’s Ducati Lenovo team launch.

“When I hopped on the new bike for 2024 [at Valencia], I found myself at ease. I was really comfortable. It was a small change, but I could feel the differences between this bike and the previous one. I think that in Sepang there will be further ‘news’.

“I need to do more tests,” he added. “Last year I was given a bike that was already ready. I couldn't test it as I wanted and today the details make all the difference. That's why I want to test more. But I feel physically fit. I feel ready and I'm fully motivated.”

The Sepang test takes place from February 6-8.