Enea Bastianini has third place in the MotoGP World Championship in his sights with th💯ree 🌜rounds to go in the 2024 season.

Entering the Thai Grand Prix this weekend, after which there will be only two rounds remaining, B💖astianini is 14 points behind Ma𝕴rc Marquez after the Gresini Ducati rider’s victory in Australia one week ago.

Bastianinᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚi was only 13th in Thailand last year, but his physical condition in the Asian races following his crash in Barcelona last summer mean that 2023 is not an accurate source of information on which to judge where the Italian might find hims🌼elf in this year’s edition of the Buriram race.

“The pote🎐ntial, we have to check,” Bastiಌanini said ahead of the Thai Grand Prix.

“Last year, I suffered a lot, and we have to check better, with more support now. My physical condition during last year wasn’t so good during this period, but now I’m confident to improv𓆏e and to do something🅠 more this year.

“We have seen that it’s very important the Friday, and tomorrow will be and impo♑rtant day fಌor me. But, I’m ready.”

On the one hand, Bastianini’s equation for the rest of tꦦhe season is simple, as he explained: “Probably, if I have more race wins I am third in the championship.”

However, the position of Bastianini’s factory Ducati teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, in the championship (currently Bagnaia is in second place in the riders’ standings, 2♌0 points behind Jorge Martin) means that he could be called on by the Ducati Lenovo Team to help Bagnaia to his third straight MotoGP title.

Bastianini, though, says he’s had “Nothing,” i♐n the way of team orders from Ducati🐼 ahead of this weekend’s Thai race.

Thinking about the upcoming race🌺s in Sepang and Valencia, ꦇBastianini also had a simple perspective.

“Well, Sepang is one of my favourite tracks,” he sꦗaid. “We know that, and also in the pasꦆt I was fast there.

“Valencia, it’s not my favourite track, that one. Here [Buriram], I don’t know. I’mꦏ without expectations for this Grand Prix.

“I have to do the maximum, this is true, because I can reach the third position in the championship and I want to tr♏y to꧅ do it.”

Also complicating Bastianini’s view of this w♏eekend is the story of his Australian Grand Prix.

At Phillip Island last weekend, Bastianini finished thir♉d in the Sprint, but wa🐷s only fifth in the Grand Prix, 13 seconds off the win.

After the race, Bastianini complained of a poor feeling with the front end of his Des🍰mosedici GP24 which, even four days on, he is still unable to explain.

“We have to speak now about this,” Bastianini said on Tꦆhursday in Thailand.

“I don’t 𓄧know more than the Sunday of Phillip Island, and it’s important to understand what happened.

“But, it has been strange becaus💮e the bike was the same as the morning, and in the morning my feeling was so 🔴nice.

“For the race, it was totally different, like as if I was without traction. This was a bit strang🍸e.”