Enea Bastianini “not harshly treated, doesn’t deserve to stay” at Ducati
“You don’t have a golden pass to stay there for more than two years"
Enea Bastianini has been told he “doesn’t deserve” to stay at Ducati.
Bastianini’s factory seat for next year became a 50-50 shootout between Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez earlier this season.
Marquez got the nod, meaning Martin vacated to Aprilia and Bastianini will join the new-look Tech3 KTM team.
But first, Bastianini could have a say in the MotoGP season-finale at Barcelona where teammate Pecco Bagnaia is battling Martin for the title.
Although Marquez has been questioned about becoming a thorn in the side of the title duo, maybe it could be Bastianini.
“He’s the one who is leaving Ducati and might have a point to prove,” TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson said.
“You don’t have a golden pass to stay there for more than two years.
“He is fourth in the championship with two GP24s in front - he doesn’t deserve to stay.
“He has not been harshly treated. He’s had two years and has been destroyed by his teammate, and is behind Marc on a [GP23].
“Not everybody can warrant being in the No 1 team.”
Michael Laverty said: “It’s been a hallmark of his career - I don’t want to be cruel but he’s sleepy on a Friday.
“Enea gets into his groove on Saturday then delivers on a Sunday. It’s enough to be top three in the world but not enough to be the champion.”
Hodgson added: “They turned down Martin. So of course they will turn down Bastianini.
“The general feeling in the paddock is that Ducati have got it right, that Marc will be so good next year and could go on to win three or four titles.
“I don’t think there’s anything they could [with Martin] because he felt let down.
“He played hard ball, and Marc played hard ball. Marc would have gone to Aprilia, probably…”
Bastianini won the second-most amount of races in 2022, behind Bagnaia, as a Gresini rider to earn the factory Ducati promotion ahead of Martin.
But an injury at his first round as a factory rider scuppered his debut Ducati season.
Equipped with the best machinery on the grid, Bastianini has won three grands prix for the factory Ducati team.
Next year he will have factory KTM machinery, alongside Maverick Vinales, in the Tech3 squad.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
