Let's talk MotoGP: The year of redemption for Enea Bastianini

The 2024 season starts today! Until the first Grand Prix of the Season, Let's talk MotoGP will try to detail as best as possible the expectations surrounding all the drivers, around Enea Bastianini. This will be accompanied by a short prediction, and of course, you are invited to give yours in comments. Yesterday, we continued this series with Alex Rins, in an article that you can find by clicking here.

 

Vengeance

 

Enea Bastianini is back. Back, yes, because fate was not kind to him during the 2023 season. Injured in the first round in Portugal, he missed the boat, purely and simply. His two returns were not as resounding as hoped, to say the least. However, against all odds, he still managed to take a victory at Sepang. It's strong. Obviously, there are enormous expectations around him, who, in 2022, had held his own against Pecco Bagnaia. “Bestia” was even the only one who could compete with him. In hindsight, he was arguably closer to him intrinsically than Jorge Martin was to Pecco in 2023.

Despite the “Martinator’s” excellent past season, Ducati still placed its trust in Bastianini for 2024. Here he is again in red, with a gleaming white No. 23 affixed to the nose of his Desmosedici GP24.

 

 

The context is more than favorable for him. This season, not to change, I still see a domination of Ducati similar to that of last year. The Italian firm is too strong, and also benefits from the advice and talent of the best drivers. But the GP24 could prove all the more formidable. Indeed, I'm banking on a bigger gap between the GP24 and the GP23 than there was between the GP23 and the GP22. Despite the staggering statistics, Bagnaia and Martin have not only experienced moments of grace on the handlebars of the 2023 vintage. In addition to this, I predict a greater gap between the official GP24 and the machines entrusted to the Pramac Racing team.

 

 

Ducati, from my point of view, cannot afford a new 2023 season. Now it knows that its models are superior in every way. It can offer slightly less efficient machines without losing power. The Borgo Panigale firm would humiliate itself by being beaten by a client, but would further tarnish its image by reducing the performance of the Pramac team during the season. It was too tense in 2023 for it to start again.

As a result, Bagnaia and Bastianini will benefit, in my opinion, from a machine that is more competitive than ever. The tests and statements from the main stakeholders seem to confirm this parameter, but they must be taken with a grain of salt, as always.

 

The prognosis

 

You will have understood, Enea Bastianini's dynamic is excellent. He is guaranteed to ride on a high-performance motorcycle, but also “benefits” from the good pressure exerted by Martin, who could steal his place in the future. Everything is in place for him to bring down the house.

 

 

Now where will he end up? It's time to get wet. In my opinion, Enea Bastianini will return to his 2022 form, if he doesn't get injured again of course. Could he beat the “Martinator”? It's possible ; subjectively, there is a match between the two. Could he beat Pecco Bagnaia? I doubt. Already, I think he is less strong on all aspects of driving, without exception. And then, he still has this problem of consistency in performance that has been hanging around for a while.

Bastianini is capable of beating them all in one race, but can he finish 5th, 6th or 7th when things are not going well? He hasn't gotten us used to that, even in 2022. Lucky for him; Martin has the same fault, but Pecco does not. There is no reason for Enea not to win multiple Grands Prix in 2024, but there is plenty for him not to finish champion. So, I imagine a season ending between 2nd and 4th place overall, neck and neck with Jorge Martin.

At the end of the season, I will look back on my predictions and see which were correct, and which were not. But in the meantime, the floor is yours! Get wet, and tell me what you imagine for “Bestia” in 2024.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport