Enea Bastianini is approaching the final races of his KTM stint with a clear diagnosis of the RC16’s recurring weakness: its operating window is too narrow. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider says the bike works only within a limited range, while moving beyond it can turn the outcome into “a disaster”.

His earlier experience with Ducati provides the key comparison. Bastianini says the Desmosedici offered a much broader setup range, making it easier to adapt the motorcycle to different circuits and conditions. That included everything from stop-start layouts to flowing tracks, as well as cold and damp surfaces or warm, dry ones. With the KTM, the feeling can change markedly from one day of a weekend to the next.

Misano followed that familiar pattern. Bastianini was competitive on Friday and during time attack, but said the same feeling was missing on Saturday. He started the race 16th, finished eighth and passed Luca Marini on the final lap. Later, while riding alone, he set a 1m31.2s lap on the final tour. Bastianini said that pace did not surprise him because his confidence normally grows as the race progresses.

Why the RC16 improves during the race

The most difficult phase comes at the start. Bastianini reports substantial movement from the front and says it feels very close to the limit. The situation then improves lap by lap. He can use the rear more effectively, get on the throttle earlier and make the rear tyre help the motorcycle turn.

That progression helps explain why Bastianini and Pedro Acosta can sometimes look stronger on Sunday than on Saturday or at other points of the weekend. Bastianini says KTM understands what it needs to address, although finding the answer will not be straightforward. The Misano race gave the team useful data for comparing the RC16’s behaviour from the opening phase through to the finish.