Enea Bastianini has opened up about the painstaking process of getting back to full fitness after seeing his first MotoGP season with the factory Ducati Lenovo Team ruined by two lengthy injury lay-offs.

The Italian is adamant he would have rivalled team-mate Pecco Bagnaia for the title were it not for the slow recovery process, adding that he was confident the slump in fortunes won’t persuade Ducati to replace him with Jorge Martin.

Promoted to the works squad alongside Bagnaia for this year following a breakthrough 2022 campaign that yielded four race wins on the year-old Gresini Ducati, Bastianini came into season tipped as a strong title contender.

However, his bid was derailed little more than a lap into the new season after a tangle with Luca Marini during the curtain-raising Sprint Race in Portimao left him with a broken shoulder blade and five rounds out of action.

Bastianini then later in the year spent a further four events on the sidelines after fracturing his ankle and hand in a Turn 1 pile-up at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Moreover, save for a surprise fifth career MotoGP win in Malaysia - his only full-length GP top five finish of the season - Bastianini struggled for consistent form when he was on track, though he owes much of that to a difficult recovery process.

“There were two of the most critical moments,” he told Sky Italia. “The recovery from the shoulder injury worried me a lot, I couldn't regain strength, my arm sometimes fell asleep on a motorcycle and it had never happened to me before. 

“From Barcelona things have improved, but then I got injured again. I was sitting in the wheelchair for 20 days, I was very angry, I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't feel like doing anything. I hit rock bottom, but from there it was all easier and it was nice to be back myself.

"I have to admit that of all it's the thing that made me suffer the least. I've never doubted my abilities, if I'm okay and have fun.”

"I'm calm..." - Bastianini on Martin Ducati MotoGP seat swap talk

Bastianini also touched upon persistent rumours that his place in the factory Ducati team could be under threat from 2023 MotoGP runner-up, Jorge Martin.

The 2020 Moto2 World Champion was controversially chosen over Martin for the vacant 2023 Ducati Corse seat, despite claims in the media that it had been promised to the Spaniard. 

However, with their fortunes diverging in 2023 as Martin emerged to take the title fight down to the wire with Bagnaia, there has been speculation of a potential reversal of that decision. It’s a scenario Bastianini maintains he is not concerned about, however.

“Jorge had a wonderful championship, but I think that without an injury I could have competed for the title too. I'll try again next year."

"These 'rumours' didn't bother me that much, from this point of view I'm calm. I would be sorry not to be reconfirmed because I am fine with the team, with Pecco, we have established a good relationship. 

“Starting again in another team would be like starting from scratch, I would like to stay here, as a contract."