Enea Bastianini, the leading KTM rider at the Qatar MotoGP, is determined to bid farewell to Tech3 with a long-awaited grand prix podium finish before making the move to Trackhouse Aprilia next season.
Final Two Chances for Tech3 Glory
Bastianini, who last stood on a full Sunday podium for KTM at Catalunya in 2025, has come tantalizingly close multiple times this year. He was promoted to a Sprint podium in Austin due to a rival’s penalty and narrowly missed a top-three finish at Motegi and in a thrilling Japanese Grand Prix, missing the podium by just 0.078 seconds.
Reflecting on his performance in Qatar, Bastianini said,
“It was a tough race. I was happy with my start… but in the middle of the race, Marc [Marquez] disappeared. The worst area for us was the left corners, where we had a lot of chatter.”
Despite the challenges, Bastianini finished fifth—top of the RC16 runners—and has now been the highest KTM finisher in nine races this season.
Target: Podium Before the Flag Falls
With just two races left in his KTM career, Bastianini’s target is clear:
“We have two more chances and I want to give my team a top-three finish before the season is over. That’s the aim going to Portugal.”
Currently tenth in the championship, Bastianini’s tenacity and recent form suggest a podium send-off is within reach as he prepares to turn the page on his Tech3 chapter.
