MotoGP Malaysia: Enea Bastianini explains decision “not to overtake Pecco”
B🌠ut it got complicated in the closing stages, when the rider separating Bastianini from a debut top three of the year was none othꦫer than factory Ducati team-mate and title leader Francesco Bagnaia.
Baꦡgnaia had led the opening half of the race, thenꦍ began to struggle with his front tyre and had already been overtaken by title rival Jorge Martin as well as race winner Alex Marquez.
Had Basti♌anini also passed the reigning champion, itꦦ would have cost him a further point.
H🌄owever, Bastianini played wingman in the c𓃲losing laps, fending off the late challenge of KTM’s Brad Binder while remaining just 0.208s behind Bagnaia at the finish line.
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“One of the main ♑problems was the front tyre, it was difficult to entওer corners behind other riders,” Bastianini told MotoGP.com
“When I was behind Pecco I felt again this front movement and also I made the decision not to overtake Pecco because I’m not fighting for the world championship🐻.
“It was a risk to try to overtake him and also for me, it wouldn’t change anythin♕g at the moment. And Pec🍎co this morning helped me to do some laps behind him and I saw something. It was good.”
Bastianini also has a vested interes🐻t in Bagnaia win💫ning the world championship since, if Martin claims the title, Ducati have admitted they cannot rule out moving the Spaniard to the factory team at Bastianini’s expense.
Bagnaia takes an 11-point lead over Marti✨n into Sunday's race.
Meanwhile, fourth for Bastianini was his best result since victory in last year’s Malaysi💝an MotoGP, as a Gresin🍸i rider.
Peter h☂as been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come an✨d go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
