Neil Hodgson says there’s one MotoGP rider who refuses to take any ‘risks’ when it rains

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Neil Hodgson couldn’t help but laugh after seeing Enea Bastianini so far off the pace on a wet Brazilian Grand Prix track. Bastianini was the slowest rider in the field during Friday’s weather-affected running, by some margin.

Bastianini finished 4.7 seconds off the pace set by LCR’s Johann Zarco in Goiania. The fastest laps were set in the first third of the session on a damp track before rain precluded any improvement.

The Italian was over two seconds off the closest rider, Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez, and 3.3 seconds off the nearest KTM RC16 (Brad Binder). That condemned him to a Q1 spot for Saturday’s dry session, and he qualified in last place.

Enea Bastianini prefers to ‘live to fight another day’ in wet MotoGP sessions

Speaking on TNT Sports during the timed practice session, Hodgson said Bastianini’s distant lap time wasn’t a surprise. He says the former Ducati rider isn’t inclined to risk anything in treacherous conditions.

That marks him out among his fellow riders, who see it as their ‘job’. On the other end of the scale, Jack Miller wowed MotoGP experts once again by becoming the first rider to venture out on slick tyres on Friday.

Bastianini went on to finish Sunday’s race in 15th place, so he did at least pick up a point. The 28-year-old is approaching 100 starts in the premier class (now on 94).

• READ MORE: Enea Bastianini teases that he has made the ‘right choice’ for 2027 after losing out on Aprilia seat

“I was smiling to myself,” Hodgson said. “You think of these conditions, who’s really good, who will take a risk. Then you think of people that probably won’t, and Bastianini’s 4.7 seconds off.

“That’s so Bastianini! He’ll be riding around going, ‘This is crazy, there’s absolutely no way, I’ll live to fight another day.’

“You sort of can’t blame him. Obviously, it is his job to take the risk, but I just smile to myself when I see him 4.7 seconds slower than anyone.'”

Unhappy Enea Bastianini could join Gresini

Bastianini finished 13th in last year’s French GP, the only wet Grand Prix of 2025. He gained five places from his grid slot, but teammate Maverick Vinales finished in the top five, as did Pedro Acosta.

As for the other wet sessions, Bastianini was 15th in a sodden FP1 at Austin, just over two seconds off the pace. He missed a sodden Saturday at the Sachsenring through illness.

It has never felt like the #23 has been completely happy at Tech3 ever since he joined from Ducati. There were already rumours in 2025 that Bastianini wanted out.

After losing his crew chief to Toprak Razgatlioglu at the end of 2025, Bastianini has been linked with Gresini, who could race with Honda motorcycles next year.