MotoGP Austin: Mid-race changes grant Bastianini the win

Gresini’s Enea Bastianini was back in charge of the MotoGP standings on Sunday night after claiming his second victory of 2022 at COTA.

Lining up fifth on the grid and at the back of a Ducati train, Bastianini showcased his impressive late-race pace as he blitzed his way past race-long leader Jack Miller on the factory Desmosedici in the closing stages. Having run third for the first half of the 20-lap race, the Italian bettered Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin on lap 12 and immediately began to hunt down his Lenovo sponsored cohort out front. The move on the Australian came just four laps later and with clear air ahead he didn’t look back.

Bastianini met the flag with two seconds in hand for his second victory in the premier class, on just round four of his sophomore season. In doing so, the 24-year-old was back in command of the championship standings, five points ahead of Suzuki’s Alex Rins in second place.

“The feeling is amazing because it’s a really hard race,” Bastianini explained from Parc Fermé on Sunday night. “Yesterday my qualifying has been not really nice. I crash and after I bring the bikes and I try to make good lap but second row, it stay possible for me today the opportunity to go on the podium.

“Was important to stay soft and riding relaxed at the first part of the race because I have to save a little bit the body and also the tyre,” he continued. “When I see Rins very close to me, I understand now it’s time to push to go on the front. I overtake Jack and also Jorge Martin. I make a gap and I win this race in Texas. It’s pretty nice for me.

“Really, in the middle part of the race, I think I could only go on the podium because Jack was too fast,” he admitted.

“But when I changed something in the first