Bastianini–KTM, Signs of a Turnaround: Where Things Stand After the Sepang Test

Bastianini fairly satisfied with the Sepang test, but awaits Buriram for further progress: in 2026 he wants to relaunch himself at a high level.

When talking about KTM, Pedro Acosta immediately comes to mind, but we shouldn’t forget a rider like Enea Bastianini. The first year with KTM was difficult and in the second he aims to achieve decidedly better results. In 2025 he had his best spell between Brno and Catalonia, with two podiums and a speed he didn’t show for the rest of the season. One goal for 2026 is to deliver more effective qualifying, to avoid too often condemning himself to start from the back and have to fight through the pack, but also to better adapt to the RC16. Clearly, it’s important that the KTM Tech3 team works to meet his needs, but he must also be skilled at adapting to the Austrian bike, making the most of its characteristics.

The Rimini rider said he was overall happy with the three days of MotoGP testing at Sepang, the work done produced results, albeit not enough to think about winning: "I can be satisfied," he told Motosan, "it was three positive days for me. We worked a lot: the first day on the bike’s ergonomics, the second on the setup, and on the last we ran comparative tests with the aerodynamics, trying to find something extra. We took home a lot of positives and I’m satisfied, but we have to close the gap to the riders in front. We’re fast, but sometimes not as fast as the others. We saw 1:56 laps, which were very difficult for us to reach."

Bastianini highlighted some issues that emerged during the Malaysia test, where they gathered plenty of useful data ahead of the final test in Thailand: "We’re still missing something in the corners, which is one of the key aspects to setting a good time. The Sprint simulation was complicated because I had a small issue with the rear tire. It wasn’t the tire itself: we had a lot of vibrations and we tried changing tires to find a solution. In the end, the situation improved and we solved part of the problem. We also had front-end vibrations for the first time, the situation becomes complicated after 3–4 laps. Compared to last year, it’s much better".

KTM brought a new chassis, but at Sepang it was tested only by Pedro Acosta and Maverick Vinales. Bastianini is waiting for the Buriram test to give his opinion: "I didn’t try the new chassis," he explains, "I tried something else that I didn’t like. I believe I’ll try it in Thailand. For me it’s important that both Binder and I test it, because there are very different opinions in the garage: some liked it a lot, others not at all."

The former Ducati rider was able to appreciate some improvements made to the RC16, a bike on which he feels more at ease than in 2025: "I think the overall result is positive, because I lowered my time by about a second compared to last year’s qualifying. I managed to maintain a consistent race pace, which was one of the aspects we most needed to work on. It’s clear that our rivals are very strong and there are some manufacturers doing better than us. We have to keep improving. I liked 70 to 75% of what we tested. I also appreciated the ergonomic improvements." Ergonomics is a topic Bastianini cares about a lot, given that he rarely felt comfortable on the bike last year. He had asked for changes to the seat and perhaps he has been accommodated for 2026.

Right now there’s little talk about him in market terms, but the Rimini rider also wants to secure a good spot on the 2027 MotoGP grid. There are riders aiming to define everything even before the Thai Grand Prix (February 27–March 1), and it’s likely that for him we’ll have to wait a bit longer. 2025 made his stock dip a little, and at the moment there are other, hotter names.

For Bastianini it will be crucial to start the new championship well, put together some convincing early Grands Prix, and then he’ll surely have a solid seat for next year. He is a talented rider and he has proven it; now it’s about performing consistently on the KTM Tech3 team’s RC16, and everything else will follow.