BASTIANINI TARGETS PODIUM IN HIS FINAL TWO KTM RACES

Enea Bastianini has two remaining opportunities to secure a MotoGP podium with Tech3 KTM before moving to Trackhouse Aprilia, and he has made his goal clear: “I want to give my team a top three finish before the season is over.” His next chance comes at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

The Italian arrives in Europe after consecutive fifth-place finishes in Malaysia and Qatar. He was KTM’s leading finisher in Qatar, but ended the race just short of the podium. “It was a tough race,” he said, while praising his start and position into Turn 1. He then tried to stay with Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez, manage his tyres and contend for the top three. Marquez eventually pulled away, and Bastianini said the KTM’s biggest weakness was chatter through the left-hand corners, a problem that worsened from the Sprint to Sunday’s race.

Despite the fifth place, Bastianini felt the team had made progress. “We did a good job. We were the first KTM,” he said. “I’m trying to fight for the podium at the moment. I’ve been closer in this last part of the season.”

A Sunday podium has proved elusive during his time with KTM. His only one in orange remains third at last year’s Catalunya Grand Prix. He came within 0.078 seconds of another in Japan, while Sprint results have brought both opportunity and frustration: a third place in Austin was awarded after Acosta received a tyre-pressure penalty, and Bastianini later lost a potential Motegi Sprint podium for exceeding track limits on the final lap. “I got a podium without celebrating on the podium in Austin – and today was similar!” he said after the latter disappointment.

Bastianini has nevertheless been KTM’s top finisher in nine races this season, despite Acosta attracting much of the attention. He is currently tenth in the championship. His strongest results include the Austin Sprint podium, sixth in the Dutch Grand Prix, fourth in both the Japanese Sprint and Grand Prix, and fifth in Qatar.

With Portugal and one further round left, Bastianini is focused on giving his departing Tech3 team a final podium. “We have two more chances,” he said. “That’s the aim going to Portugal.”