Alvaro Bautista was the feared unknown of the first round of the WSBK season in Aragon. Nobody had forgotten its entry into the category in 2019 at the same time as the Panigale V4R, as everyone still remembers a disappointing end to the journey until the divorce of the two parties. Was the Spaniard, after two years spent winning nothing at Honda, going to regain all his splendor on the Italian? The three Spanish races, at the end of which he took the lead in the general classification, answered in the affirmative. The last question remains to be answered: will he last until the end this time?
This point will only be clarified with time, and we will undoubtedly have an indication from the next game at Assen, because as rightly pointed out Alvaro Bautista coming down from his podiums in Alcañiz: “ we worked hard with the team in Aragón and I was very strong. But we had a test beforehand and it will be different during the next meetings where we will only have FP1 and FP2 to prepare for the races ". We note that the former 125 World Champion has a good head on his shoulders and is aware of a formidable adversity made up of what is best in the category: the six-time crowned Jonathan Rhea and the reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.
But the pilot Ducati also says that he got stronger: “ In 2019, we lacked experience, more data on the bike and I didn't have more knowledge about the championship and the tires. It was difficult for me to give instructions to the engineers. Now they have improved the bike on all the negative points it had, it is more balanced ».
Alvaro Bautista has matured: “ I never tried to go faster than the condition of the track allowed«
He finishes : " I feel like I'm as fast as I was three years ago, but back then I was very close to the limit. Now I have more margin and I run with more confidence. The bike has improved and so have I ". A trend that he illustrates with his management of races in Aragon: “ On Saturday I wanted to take it easy and build confidence to get a good start in the championship » he remembers. “ In the warm up, however, I felt excellent and felt like I could push more. I then did the same thing in the Superpole race, I took the lead very early and set a good pace. When I'm in front, I can control it more easily and drive more safely. In the Superpole race, I didn't expect to be able to do such good times ».
« It was different in the second race because the asphalt had never had such a high temperature during practice or during practice sessions. First I had to find out how far I could push and where the limit was ", has followed Baptist. " So I stayed calm and behind Johnny Rea who got off to a pretty good start. After a few laps, once I felt comfortable, I took the lead and made it. I never tried to go faster than the track conditions allowed and I managed to win ". He is leading the championship WSBK with 57 points, three more than Sale while Razgatlioglu is at the head of a capital of 39 units.
