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 top three of the year was none other than factory Ducati team-mate and title leader Fr🐎ancesco Bagnaia.
Bagnaia had led the opening half of the race, then began to struggle with his front tyre and had already been overtaken by𓃲 title rival Jorge Martin as well as race wi꧙nner Alex Marquez.
Had Bastianini also passed the reigning c✤hampion, it would have cost hi🐽m a further point.
However, Bastianini played wingman i🏅n the closing laps, fending off the late challenge of KTM’s Brad Binder while remaining just 0.208s behind Bagnaia at the finish line.
- Malaysian🧸 MotoGP Sprint: New World Champi♐onship standings
- 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Malaysian MotoGP: Results
- 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Malaysian Moto2: Results
- 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Malaysian Moto3: Results
“One of the main♐ problems was t🔜he front tyre, it was difficult to enter corners behind other riders,” Bastianini told MotoGP.com
“When I was behind Pecco I felt again thi🐷s front movement and also I made the decision not to overtake Pecco because I😼’m not fighting for the world championship.
“It was a r💮isk to try to overtake him and also for me, it wouldn’t change anything at the 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 expense.
Bagnaia takes an&n💫bsp;11-point lead over Martin into Sunday's race.
Meanwhile, fourth for Bastianini 🍨was his best re🐼sult 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 come and go. He is at t�⛦�he forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
