‘No pressure’ to repeat Marquez’s rookie MotoGP podiums – Bastianini
Reigning Moto2 world champion Enea Bastianini says there is 'no pressure' on him to emulate Alex Marquez's rookie MotoGP podium success from 2020 this season
Marquez won the 2019 Moto2 title before stepping up to MotoGP with Honda, scoring the marque's only podiums last year with a brace of seconds in France and in Aragon.
Bastianini prevailed in a season-long scrap for the title in the intermediate class in 2020 and will make his MotoGP debut in 2021 with the Avintia Ducati squad.
Asked if Marquez's performances in 2020 when he was reigning Moto2 champion added pressure on the Italian to repeat this, Bastianini said: "Actually no, because each rider is unique.
"Maybe it will take me longer to adapt or maybe less, so it doesn't put pressure on me, quite the contrary.
"I want to ride, to have fun and then we hope that the results will arrive, but if in the first year they do not arrive I will concentrate to understand what to do for the second."
Bastianini will partner Valentino Rossi's half-brother and 2020 Moto2 title runner-up Luca Marini at Avintia this season.
But he doesn't consider their rivalry continuing into MotoGP to be a given, as so much has been "levelled" in MotoGP in recent years.
"In the end, if such a rivalry arises, it is because we are making a difference," Bastianini said.
"But it is not certain that such a great rivalry always arises.
"In recent years everything has been levelled, from the bikes to the teams, passing through the riders.
"So, I hope to be a protagonist too, but there will be many, and now a lot depends on the tyres and how you approach the team."
Marini - who considers his relationship with Bastianini to be "perfect" - says he hopes an intense rivalry between the two does emerge, as it means both will be "going strong".
"I hope that such a rivalry can arise, because it would mean that we are going strong," Marini, who will ride a VR46-backed Ducati this year, added.
"But there are so many strong riders in MotoGP, so these rivalries will no longer exist.
"Now you have to fight against 12 riders to win, not two or three as it once was.
"I don't know if it's more difficult or easier, because it doesn't take much to make a difference with everyone so close.
"But I think that in this era it will be hard to see rivalries like the historical ones, but maybe in the future we will go strong just me and Enea, and it would be nice."
Previous article
Huge fire wrecks Argentina MotoGP venue
Next article
Rossi criticises MotoGP for allowing Marquez's Jerez injury return
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Alex Marquez , Marc Marquez , Enea Bastianini |
| Teams | AB Motoracing |
| Author | Matteo Nugnes |
Marc Marquez is back
MotoGP Starting Grid: Portugal Grand Prix
MotoGP Starting Grid: Doha Grand Prix
Marc Márquez's first ride after his injury
Marc Marquez continues his recovery
How Yamaha’s rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021, having stormed to victory at a venue where he last year served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha’s factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend has revealed one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come
Where does Honda's new MotoGP signing sit ahead of its king's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Has Yamaha banished its demons with its 2021 MotoGP bike?
Against the expected run of play at Qatar's Losail circuit, both Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo carved through a resolute Ducati defence to secure back-to-back MotoGP wins for the Japanese marque. After a difficult 2020, it appears that Yamaha has swaggered back into championship contention
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
