Enea Bastianini has been dealt a reminder that high-p🥀rofile riders like Fabio Quartararo could come sniffing around his 2025 Ducati seat.

Bastianini enjoyed a prℱoductive Portuguese MotoGP after claiming pole position, finishing sixth in the sprint, then second in the grand prix.

But the pressure he remains under was evident when Davide Tardozzi, the Ducati team manager,🐲 demanded more a🌞ggression from him before Sunday’s race.

“I 🃏think that Enea has to change his attitude,” Tardozzi told TNT Sports.

“He needs to be more aggressive. Because he was not able to overtake [in ꦕthe sprint].

“Not because he was braking early. The problem in MotoGP isܫ that the level of the bikes and the riders is very high, and it makes it flat.

“So t🦹o overtake, you must do wh⛄at Marc Marquez did to Jorge Martin. You must be more aggressive.

“I think Enea understood this.”

Bastianini responded with a far better result, beh𓃲ind only Pramac’s Jorge Martin in the Portuguese grand prix.

He ends the second round of 2024 third in the MotoGP standings, above teammate and ✤champion Francesco Bagnaia.

But Bagnaia’s future is secure after he penned a new🅺 contract, while many riders on the grid are eyeing Bastianini’s factory Ducati position for next year.

Bastianini’s ♒first year wearing red was scuppered by a serious shoulder injury suffered in the first-ever sprint at Portimao a year ago.

M꧙ichael Laverty told TNT Sports: “He got everything he wanted - the factory Ducati contract.

“He turned up in red, and got knocked off. Sh❀oul𒁏der injury, hampered him all season.

“He wasn’t happy with the GP23 but th𒀰e new bike seems to suit him. He was fast in Qatar, fast in testingཧ.

“Pole position [on Saturday]. He was close.

“The problem he’🌠s got? Pecco is on the other side of the garage. We know that Fe💝rmin Aldeguer has been signed to Ducati.

“We know that Fabio Quartararo is o𒁃ut of contract.

“We know Martin wants the factory Ducati…

“Poor Enea is rebuilding and resetting in factory red but everyone is already at round two, chasing his🍷 seat.

“So he’s not getting time to settle in, really.

“He’s got the speed. He just needs more time.”

But Bastianini can♒ enjoy a three-week break knowing he has secured a promising third-place in𓄧 the standings, ahead of the third round in Texas, the scene of his 2022 victory.

“The confidence is coming back for Enea,” Laverty saidꦕ.

“He’s finding his feet with fac꧙tory Ducati. The podium. The mistakes [onᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ Saturday], he was nervous.

“That rel🎀axes him. Now back to COTA where he has won ♋before.

“He♎ can build a campaign, try to get the contract earꦚly boxed off.

“Because everyone wants the Ducati seat.”