Not just Acosta, KTM also gets Bastianini back at Motegi: now the usual problem must be solved

The Spaniard remains the star on whom KTM is betting, but the rider from Rimini has also secured direct access to Q2 and hopes to shine in Japan.

KTM comes off an Austrian Grand Prix capped by Pedro Acosta’s victory, his first triumph in a full-length MotoGP race and, in the eyes of many, still a contender for the 2026 world title. He started well at Motegi too, ending Friday practice with the second-best time, just a few thousandths behind Alex Marquez. But there was another RC16 that performed well today in Japan: Enea Bastianini’s.

The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider finished Pre-Qualifying with the fifth-fastest time, snatched at the end with an excellent lap. It remains to be seen whether he will stay competitive through the rest of the weekend. One of his biggest issues since riding the KTM RC16 has been the time attack: in qualifying he has rarely been effective and struggled to secure a strong spot on the starting grid. If he manages to sort this out at Motegi, he could target solid results in the weekend’s races.

Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, Bastianini commented on his Friday practice at Motegi: "I went back on a few things with the bike, like the setup and more. I rediscovered the feelings I had a bit during the race at Misano, and I felt good. Usually, when we return to the box and then head out again, the tire drops off a lot, but today that wasn’t the case. On used tires I set my best time on the last lap, which helps us. Usually it’s a problem we face at every track. Grip with the new asphalt is good, but not exceptional; the positive thing is that wear seems good, and that bodes well for the race."

Bastianini is a better rider than what we’ve seen over these two complicated years aboard the KTM. Back in his Ducati days, he showed he could fight for the front positions, and for some reason the partnership with the Austrian bike hasn’t clicked perfectly. Only a few flashes from the 2020 Moto2 champion, often undone by underwhelming qualifying despite race pace that could have earned him more interesting finishes.

Clearly, he bears some responsibility, especially when we see an Acosta consistently in the top five with his RC16. The Rimini native surely could have done more. We’ll see if the Japanese Grand Prix will be the chance to see him as competitive as he should be more often. The signs are encouraging.

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