Ducati: Enea Bastianini given ‘carte blanche’ until Francesco Bagnaia needs help in MotoGP title fight

Davide Tardozzi, Team Manager at Lenovo Ducati, has admitted the points gap likely facing Enea Bastianini after Mugello means team orders could be used later in the 2023 MotoGP season.
Enea Bastianini, Ducati MotoGP Jerez 2023
Enea Bastianini, Ducati MotoGP Jerez 2023

Bastianini, who sig🌱ned for the factory team following a stunning 2022 season with Gresini Ducati, has seen his first campaign alongside MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia affected by an ongoing shoulder injury.

After being knocked off his ꦬDucati by Luca Marini in the inaugural MotoGP sprint at Portimao, Bastianini tried to make a rapid return from a broken shoulder at Jerez, only for the Italian to end his participation during Practice 3.

Bastianini then ⛄missed last weekend’s 1000th Grand Prix at Le Mans, as Ducati pair Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin went on to win the main race and🍌 the sprint. 

Speaking on the GPOne.com podcast - Bar Sport - Tardozzi said this about Bastianini’s expected return at Mu🍃gello next mont𝔉h.

"We strongly hope that Enea will return at Mugello, it’s almost certain, but we will decide after the last ♒check🎃 he will do on the Monday before the Italian Grand Prix. 

"He won’t be 100% because the problem with the scapula is very complicated𝓀. It involves nerves and muscles. I believe and hope t🏅hat he can race and score some points." 

Should Bastianini complete the race weekend and score points, the former Moto2 champion is still likely to be facing a deficit in the standings of close to 100 po𝓀ints, or more.

And with Bagnaia clearly in a title fight against the likes of Bezzecchi and Brad Binder, as it currently♔ stands, giving his new teammate a helping ha꧑nd as the season goes on could be required.

Tardozzi added: "Enea’s gꩲap after Mugello will be a very big one, certainly over 100 points, so we will have the right and duty to bring home as many points as possible until the end of the year. 

"Then, in the last few races we’ll see how the championship will look and we will understand if it will be right to ask Enea to lend a hand to Pecco.♚ Until then, Bastianini will have a carte blanche."

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