Herve Poncharal: “Unbeatable” Enea Bastianini Tech3's “best possibility” for MotoGP 2025

Herve Poncharal’s Tech3 team will welcome Enea Bastianini to its setup in 2025, as Pedro Acosta departs for the factory KTM squad.

While Acosta burst onto the premier class scene earlier this year with two podiums from his first three Grands Prix, its Tech3’s pending arrival, Bastianini, that has actually been victorious this year, winning the British Grand Prix at the beginning of August.

“I’m really excited,” Poncharal told TNT Sports ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix last Sunday. 

“I’ve really been pushing the whole Pierer Mobility Group management to make a quick decision, that was at Mugello. It was clearly when we knew Pedro Acosta was going to move to the factory [KTM] team.

“I wanted to have a strong line-up, and I think Enea [Bastianini] was by far the best possibility for us. 

"I know when the planets are aligned he is unbeatable, he’s been showing it in the previous races that he’s a candidate for the #1 plate.”

Such possibilities give Tech3 the potential to dream a bit, even if they also bring some pressure.

“Of course, we would love him to bring the #1 plate to our team next year,” Poncharal confessed. 

“But, even without dreaming, we are very honest: now, the pressure is very high on us to give him what he deserves, what he needs, what he’s expecting.

“He’s coming from what is called the best technical package on the grid (Ducati Desmosedici GP24), and this is very important.

“It’s like in everything in life, the first touch is very important. So, we hope in Valencia after a few laps he will come down to the box, take off his helmet, and there will be a big smile on his face.”

As for the out-going Acosta, despite a difficult weekend in Austria Poncharal was not holding back in his praise for the two-times World Champion, whom he says has been responsible for some progression inside the Tech3 team this season.

“For sure, he has,” Poncharal replied when asked whether Acosta has helped progress the team. 

“In terms of interest from the media, we see [them] much more than last year, so this is the first big impact and is good news.

“Also, everyone who is working in this paddock is not doing it as a job, they’re doing it because we have the adrenaline, we have the passion.

"What makes us push, what is fuelling us, is the result, and you can imagine that, when you remember the start of the year, what Pedro brought to the team is unbelievable.

“I think it’s also very important to highlight, to show, Pierer Mobility Group management and the technical department that they are on the right path, although there is still room for improvement. 

"He’s helped the whole project in an incredible way, which was not what we were expecting as a rookie.”