Enea Bastianini finished third despite finishing in third place in the Grand Prix of Japan, but he completed the race in third place after dropping one position for exceeding the track limits on the last lap. The Italian rider admitted to touching the green area but stated that he gained no advantage from this move.
Race Performance and Penalty Analysis
Enea Bastianini stated that his performance in Motegi was impressive. The rider, starting from seventh place in the Tech3 KTM, competed in the front group and entered the podium fight. Bastianini was in third place behind Jorge Martin on the last lap. However, he received a one-place grid penalty for touching the green part of the track upon exiting the last corner, and consequently dropped in position. Following this penalty, Diogo Moreira moved up to second place.
Bastianini stated that the event offered him no advantage, but he approved of the rules being enforced.
I DO NOT THINK I GAINED AN ADVANTAGE
Bastianini expressed his opinion regarding the wider curvature of the MotoGP corners and the sudden transition from white to green, regarding the necessity for a longer run-off area. The Italian rider stated that he followed Jorge to take the air corridor and tried to keep his motorcycle on the track, but admitted to touching the green area.
Overall Race Assessment
Enea Bastianini expressed his great satisfaction with the sprint race overall. The Italian rider stated that he did not intend to attack Jorge and aimed to maintain third place.
We had a great race and we are having a great weekend so far. It was a good Sprint and we had good pace. I did not try to attack Jorge; I thought it was enough for today. But if I had attacked him, I could have guaranteed the podium.
Bastianini expressed sadness over missing a podium opportunity after the penalty and emphasized the need to find a way to change things. He stated that he could not get on the podium in America, and he could not get on the podium here either.
Team Work and Track Character
Bastianini stated that KTM's performance in Motegi cannot be explained by track characteristics alone, and that the team's work throughout the weekend also supported him. He expressed satisfaction with the team's efforts to resolve some of their issues.
It is good to see the team doing everything it can to solve some of my problems. I am happy so far.
The Italian rider drew attention to tire choice before the race. He stated that he felt more comfortable with soft rubber on the Motegi track, but he could not find confidence on the medium rubber. He indicated that braking is of great importance on this track.
Figures
- Enea Bastianini finished in 11th place with 103 points in the 2026 MotoGP season (Tech 3).
- Archive: Bastianini increased his confidence and moved to eighth place in the race. (August 30, 2026)
Read the full story at the original source.
Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
