Seven-win MotoGP rider faces ‘a long year’ after disappointing Neil Hodgson at the Thai Grand Prix

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The first race of the 2025 MotoGP season is in the books after Marc Marquez won the Sprint Race at the Thai Grand Prix on the Spaniard’s debut at the factory Ducati team.

But while the six-time MotoGP champion won the Sprint Race, Neil Hodgson fears what one rider showed on Saturday at the Thai Grand Prix leaves them facing a ‘long year’. Marquez is only one of an array of riders who started their tenures for new teams at the Buriram circuit.

The factory Yamaha and Honda crews were the sole squads to keep both of their riders from last year for the new season. Aprilia, Pramac and KTM Tech3 also welcomed two fresh faces to their ranks this term – although Jorge Martin will not debut for Aprilia before round three.

Neil Hodgson fears Enea Bastianini faces ‘a long year’ after his Thai Grand Prix Sprint Race

KTM Tech3 have welcomed Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales to the team this year after KTM Factory Racing capitalised on Ducati and Aprilia axing the pair respectively. KTM signed Bastianini to a two-year works contract after Ducati decided to drop the Italian for Marquez.

But his life in orange did not get off to the perfect start at Buriram, as Bastianini finished the Sprint Race at the 2025 Thai Grand Prix in P18. Only LCR Honda rookie Somkiat Chantra and Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori would finish behind the seven-time MotoGP race winner.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Enea Bastianini from net worth to career stats

Bastianini falling to 21 seconds behind Marquez through 11 of the 13 laps raised alarm bells for Hodgson, with the Tech3 rider ultimately finishing the Sprint 23.948s from the man who took his place at Ducati. Vinales took the chequered flag in P14, 4.964s ahead of his partner.

Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2 (1/3, 8:19): “I think it could be a long year for Enea Bastianini. Just four months ago, he won this race. He won the Sprint race. He’s currently down in 19th place, 21 seconds down after 11 laps.”

Enea Bastianini is still getting used to riding the KTM RC16 after racing Ducati bikes

Like Hodgson says, Bastianini won the Sprint Race at the 2024 Thai Grand Prix with his final victory for Ducati in round 18 of 20. The 27-year-old also picked up feature race wins at the 2024 British Grand Prix – where Bastianini did the double – and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Yet his first outing in orange was far from as fruitful as the Rimini native’s last Sprint Race at Buriram. The Italian is still adapting to the KTM RC16 having raced Ducatis since his MotoGP debut back in 2021 and Herve Poncharal thinks Bastianini is still riding like he is on a Ducati.

Adapting to his new bike also saw Bastianini struggle with tyre wear on the KTM during pre-season testing. So, while Hodgson fears the Italian is facing a ‘long year’ after leaving Ducati and joining the satellite KTM crew, Bastianini knows his first race at Tech3 was just the start.