MotoGP Malaysia: Enea Bastianini explains decision “not to overtake Pecco”
But it got complicated in the closing stages, when the rider separating Bastianini from a debut tℱop three of the year was none other than factory Ducati team-mate and title leader Francesco Bagnaia.
Bagnaia had led the opening half of the race, then began to struggไle with his front tyre and had already been overtaken by titl🐓e rival Jorge Martin as well as race winner Alex Marquez.
Had Bastianini also paꦬssed the reigning champion, it would have cost him a fu🍸rther point.
However, Bastian♌ini played w🍒ingman in the closing 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 ente🌱r 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 becausꦫe 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 anything at t♏he moment. And Pecco this morning helped me to do some laps behind him and I saw something. It was good.”
Bastianini also has a vested interest in Bagnaia winning 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 e𒈔xpense.
Bagnaia takes an 11-point lead over Martin into 🌞Sunday's race.
Meanwhile, fourth for Bastianini was his best resu🌠lt since victory in last year’s Malaysian MotoGP, as a Gresini rider.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi ꦐcome and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
