Bastianini was rightly lauded as a potential champion ahead of last season . But the pressure of riding in the factory team for the first time , plus adapting to a new crew and bike was too much . A serious shoulder injury sustained in the first Sprint in Portugal was another reason why we only saw flashes of the rider that finished third overall in 2022 . But now fully fit , more at home in the factory Ducati team , and gelling immediately with the Desmosedici GP24 , the 2020 Moto2™ World Champion is perfectly placed to push Bagnaia hard over the course of this year . Performances in Portugal and Italy showed he ’ s still up to the challenge .

BIRTHPLACE : Rimini ( ITA )

DATE OF BIRTH : 30 / 12 / 1997