Enea Bastianini "frightened" - "Without any reference points, it was a disaster"
Categories: MotoGP
The conditions at the start of the Thai Grand Prix were borderline for many drivers. Enea Bastianini admits he has been frightened at the start of the race.
After a mere hour-long postponement and horrendous rainfall on track, officials finally allowed the start of the MotoGP race under flag-to-flag conditions. However, many riders were not happy with the decision.
Enea Bastianini – Image provided by Motorsport Images
The reasons for the comments of various riders were particularly evident in the early stages of the Grand Prix.
As Enea Bastianini, during the start of the race in the middle of the pack, describes, many were flying blind in the first few laps.
“You couldn’t see anything, I drove the first ten laps blind. Without reference points, it was a disaster. I was almost frightened – no, not just almost, I was frightened.”
Harsh conditions at the thai Grand Prix – Image provided by Motorsport Images
But despite the sheer conditions, the Italian managed to survive the early stages. After the rain subsided, ‘La Bestia’ was even able to make up several places.
“At the beginning, I didn’t have the right mapping. In the first corner I accelerated badly, that was the main problem, but in the second lap, I managed to change the mapping. From then on, things went better.”
The Gresini Ducati rider draws a positive conclusion after the race: “The result is not so bad in the end. Sixth place was our goal today, more would have been difficult. I am satisfied,” explains Bastianini.
He particularly likes his own steps under wet conditions. “It is important that I have improved a lot in wet conditions.”
With his sixth-place finish, Bastainini reduces the gap to championship leader Quartararo to 39 points. In just his second season in MotoGP, he currently sits fourth in the standings.
