MotoGP star makes feelings clear about start drama in Brazil

Multiple MotoGP race winner Enea Bastianini was left annoyed before Sunday Grand Prix in Brazil, and here’s why.

23 Mar 2026

Enea Bastianini at the Brazil MotoGP. Photo credit - Gold and Goose

What should have been a weekend of celebration for MotoGP in Goiania, Brazil, was instead overshadowed by numerous track issues, one of which affected multiple MotoGP race winner Enea Bastianini more than most.

Just moments before the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix, which was the first MotoGP race in Brazil in over 20 years, a sudden change to the length of the race was made.

The race distance was dropped from the original 31 laps to 23, due to the track surface degrading. MotoGP went ahead with the race despite the concerns, however, only some riders were able to make a change of tyres when the new distance was confirmed.

Bastianini, who was at the rear of the grid, was notified of the change to the race length, but his Tech3 KTM team did not have enough time to make a tyre swap, unlike some teams further up the grid.

Bastianini has branded the decision not to delay the start of Sunday’s shortened Brazilian MotoGP a “big mistake”.

Enea Bastianini racing in Brazil. Photo credit - Gold and Goose

The Italian rider also felt he was unfairly penalised by the last-minute announcement to modify the race distance.

Bastianini said this after the race:

“It has been bull****. Because in a world championship it is a big mistake. The message to my team arrived at the end [of the grid], during the last minute and the time to change the tyre for us was nothing.
“The team said to me ‘we don’t have time’ but the others in front changed. The good choice was to [delay the start for] five minutes to be clear on the situation for everyone. I saw many instances during the weekend like this.”

Fellow KTM rider Brad Binder found himself in a similar situation as Bastianini, as he too found out too late to make any possible tyre change.