P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Enea Bastianini admitted he made steps forward “in all directions” on his Tech3 KTM MotoGP bike after the season opener in Thailand.
Bastianini’s performance in the Thai Grand Prix saw him finishing ninth, after struggling in the Sprint race the day before, where he finished third-last, a stark contrast to his previous year’s Sprint win at the same track. In 2025, the Italian rider switched to KTM after departing from the factory Ducati team due to the arrival of Marc Marquez. Despite finishing 23.9s behind Marquez in the 13-lap Sprint race, Bastianini managed to reduce the gap to 20s in the 26-lap Sunday race, showcasing progress. Bastianini expressed satisfaction with the team’s gradual improvement and steady approach to finding a good bike setup for the races. Although his initial feeling with the RC16 was rated poorly at “1 out of 10”, Bastianini’s comfort level increased to a “4” after Sunday’s race, indicating significant improvement. The rider highlighted corner entry and initial exit phase as crucial points for improvement in upcoming races, aiming to enhance overall performance with an eye on the next race in Argentina.
