Enea Bastianini has third place in the MotoGP World Championship in his sights with three rounds to go in tꦗhe 2024 season.

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

Bastianini was only 13th in Thailand last ye൩ar, 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 himself in this year’s edition o🉐f the Buriram race.

“Th✱e potential, we have to check,” Bastianini said ahead of ꦰthe Thai Grand Prix.

“Last year, I suffered a lot, and we have to c💦heck better, with more support now. My physical condition during last year wasn’t so good during this period, but n🔜ow I’m confident to improve and to do something more this year.

“We have seen that it’s vඣery important the Friday, and tomorrow will be and important day for me. But, I’m𝕴 ready.”

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

However, the position of Bastianini’s factor⛎y Ducati teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, in the championship (currently Bagnaia is in second place in the riders’ standings, 20 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,” in the way of team orders from🎀 Ducati ahead of this weekend’s Thai race.

Thinking 🦩about the upcoming races in Sepang and Valencia, Bastianini also had a simple perspectiv🌜e.

“Well, Sepang is one of my favourite tracks,” he said. “We know 𒅌that, and also in the past I was fast there.

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

“I have to do the maximum, this is true, because I can reach the thi🐼rd position in thꦏe championship and I want to try to do it.”

Also complicating Bastianini’s view of this weekend is the story of h🌳iﷺs Australian Grand Prix.

At Phillip Island last weekend, Bastianini finished third in the Sprint, but was only fifth in the Grand Prix, 1🦋3 seconds off the win.

After the race, Bastianini complained of a poor feeling with the front end of his Desmosedici G🍨P24 which, even four days on, he is still unable to explain.

“We have to speak now about this,” Bastianini s♈aid on Thursday in Thailand.

“I don’t know more than the Sunday of Phillip Island, and it’s important to uꦑnde🏅rstand what happened.

“But, it has been strange because the bike was the same as the morning, and in th💝e morning my💛 feeling was so nice.

“For the race, it was totally d🐟ifferent, like as if I was without traction. This was a bit strange.”