Enea Bastianini

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Born in Rimini, Bastianini first rode a minibike aged three years and three months: hence his racing number, 33. After a successful career in minibike racing, Bastianini raced successfully in various categories, including the Honda HIRP Trophy 100cc, the MiniGP 70cc Italian Championship and the Honda RS125 Trophy, where he finished as champion during the 2012 season.^[1] In 2013, Bastianini competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, where he took two victories en route to a fourth-place finish in the championship. Bastianini also took his first steps in Moto3, participating in five races of the Italian Championship.

In 2014, Bastianini made his debut in the Moto3 World Championship riding for Team GO&FUN Moto3.^[2] Bastianini scored his first points in his second start, finishing 13th at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, commencing a run of four consecutive points-scoring finishes; he took top ten placings at the Argentine, Spanish and French Grands Prix. After failing to finish his home race at Mugello, Bastianini took his first podium with a second-place finish in Catalunya; he added another second-place finish in the Czech Republic and a third-place finish in the following race in Great Britain. Bastianini finished the season ninth in the riders' championship.

In 2015, Bastianini emerged as runaway leader Danny Kent's nearest challenger, taking five podium finishes – including four second places – and two pole positions in the first eleven races of the season. At Misano in September, Bastianini took his first race victory; having started from pole position, Bastianini was part of the five-rider lead battle for the whole race, and took the race win after a final-lap pass on Miguel Oliveira.^[3] Bastianini finished the season in third place in the final championship standings.

In 2016, Bastianini continued to race in the Moto3 class with Gresini Racing Moto3. He finished the season as the championship runner-up, taking 177 points with six podiums and a win at Motegi.

In 2019, Bastianini joined the Italtrans Racing Team and finished the season in tenth place taking 97 points with one podium.

Bastianini then finished as world champion for the 2020 Moto2 season, taking 205 points from three wins and seven podiums.

Bastianini signed with Esponsorama Racing for the 2021 MotoGP season and was partnered with Moto2 rival and compatriot Luca Marini.^[4] Both Bastianini and Marini rode two-year-old specification Ducati GP19 bikes the whole season. Bastianini scored points consistently during the season, before getting his then best result in Aragon in sixth position, followed by a third-place finish in Misano, a repeat 6th-place finish again in COTA, and a repeated third-place finish again at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Misano during the last lap. Bastianini finished the season 11th in the riders' standings with 102 points.

Bastianini won the first race of the 2022 MotoGP season, the 2022 Qatar Grand Prix and became the championship leader.^[5] Gresini Racing and Bastianini made history by winning with a 2021-specification Ducati Desmosedici GP21.^[6] After mid-pack results in Indonesia and Argentina, where he took P11 and P10 respectively, he took his second win at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. This was followed by a DNF in Portugal and P8 in Jerez. At the French Grand Prix in Le Mans, Bastianini took another win, after overtaking both factory Ducatis to return to the top step of the podium. This win meant he was just eight points adrift of championship leader Fabio Quartararo after seven rounds. He returned again to the podium with a 2nd-place finish in at the San Marino Grand Prix. Bastianini then took his fourth win of the season at the Aragón Grand Prix, then another 2nd-place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Bastianini switched to Ducati Lenovo Team for the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, replacing Jack Miller and partnering Francesco Bagnaia.^[7] Bastianini never felt comfortable with the Ducati Desmosedici GP23, which he attributed to a vastly different front end feeling as compared to the Desmosedici GP21 he rode to four victories in the previous season.

Bastianini was forced to miss the opening three rounds of the season through injury after being involved in a first lap incident instigated by Luca Marini at the Portuguese Grand Prix which affected his form throughout 2023.^[8][9] After another first lap incident at the Catalan Grand Prix, he subsequently missed the following three rounds at San Marino, India and Japan due to recurring injuries.

Bastianini produced an impressive comeback after a complicated 2023 season by securing a dominant victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix, holding off teammate Bagnaia and Jorge Martín.

Bastianini after having fully recovered from his injuries from 2023, performed well in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship pre-season tests and took a liking to the 2024 Ducati Desmosedici GP24 immediately. He started the season in strong form and secured pole position and his first podium of the season at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Though despite an impressive sprint and main race double at Silverstone and a race win at Misano, Bastianini failed to sustain a title challenge in 2024 and ended the season in fourth.

On 13 June 2024, it was announced that Bastianini signed for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 as an official factory rider, alongside former Aprilia rider Maverick Viñales.^[10]