Alvaro Bautista was waiting for the Misano round to have a normal weekend, not affected by particular tracks or difficult conditions. However, the results of the weekend were an answer to his questions and a confirmation of how much work there is to do to return to constantly fighting for the top. Two third places in the long races and a crash in the Superpole Race deprived the reigning champion of the championship leadership and he slipped to third place, 24 points behind the new leader Toprak Razgatlioglu.
It wasn’t an easy weekend for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider, who brought home the best possible result. After last year’s hat-trick, a third place was the best placing he could achieve and the reigning champion achieved it: “It was a bit difficult, like Saturday on the other hand. I didn’t feel like I wanted on the bike, I lacked a bit of confidence. It’s true that this weekend we made more changes than usual. I think we changed the bike more this weekend than during the whole of last season. Until we find something that allows me to have the confidence I would like, it’s tough.”
Added to the two third positions was the crash in the Superpole Race, which occurred at Turn 10, a dangerous point according to the Ducati rider. However, according to Bautista it was impossible to avoid the crash and this also affected the afternoon’s race: “This morning I lost the front and I couldn’t avoid the crash. I tried to stop the bike, as soon as I let go of the brakes a little I lost the front and ended up inside the curb. This is also dangerous because some drivers passed just before I crossed the line. I thought if anyone touched me I would be destroyed, but I was lucky. Stupid fall, but it happens sometimes. When you don’t have the bike in order, it happens more frequently.”
“This brought me back on the grid for Race 2, but even starting from the front, the best was to get third. I’m not happy because we’re not at our best, but at the same time this result was the best we could do and I did it. Now we have to understand and find something that allows us to have more performance, because our level is lower than last year, but that of our rivals is higher,” she explained very honestly.
Alvaro Bautista, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
If last year the Ducati was the bike to beat and the first three rounds somehow masked the difficulties, the problems of the Panigale V4R emerged at Misano: “Where do we need to improve? I think it’s better to think about where we can be stronger than our rivals. First we have to get to our best, we have to focus on ourselves and find the confidence on the bike to be able to do everything. I struggle a lot to stop the bike and enter the corner, then the exit is a consequence of the bad entry. I have problems in all areas. Let’s solve this and then think about our rivals, but now there is no point in thinking where we are stronger than our rivals, because we are not at our 100%.”
Are Ducati’s difficulties this year due to the new weight rule? 5 kg of ballast were put on the number 1 Panigale V4R and the weight distribution changed, sending Bautista into difficulty. But now Toprak Razgatlioglu is emerging, making a difference even on other BMWs. Has this regulatory change made the championship more balanced? The two-time world champion does not want to go into the merits of the rules: “I’m not the FIM, I don’t make the rules. I just have to do the best with what I have. I can’t wait to stop others, I have to improve. For me it’s not fair to say that if I can’t go fast, then I slow down others. It’s incorrect. If someone goes faster, better for them. We must continue to work until we are as strong as them. But we have our own problems and we need to solve them before thinking about others.”
“I can’t help it, these are the rules. It’s better not to think about it, because this is the bike I have. With weight or without, I have to find something that allows me to be fast with what I have, no matter if heavier or less. Technically, I need to find a setup that gives me confidence. Mentally, I try not to think about it. It’s not a handicap, but I don’t want to think that the rule is just for me. It’s to balance the championship, so I can’t do anything to change things and I don’t want to think about it,” says the Spaniard.
Bautista was the center of attention at Misano not only because he was showing up at Ducati’s home round and looking for confirmation on his Panigale, but he is also the key man in the market. Based on his decision, the rest of the riders will move towards 2025. However, the wait is long because the Spaniard is in no hurry to decide: “At the moment I don’t have any deadline. I said I would think about it after this round, because in Australia there were particular conditions, in Barcelona it is a strange track. In Assen we had mixed conditions, so I was expecting a normal weekend like Misano.”
“After this weekend I would have some ideas. In my mind there are some priorities and the first is what I can improve to have more confidence. I have no ideas about the future, but even Ducati has never asked what I want to do. I don’t know if maybe we’ll talk before Donington, but I’m more focused on regaining confidence on the bike than deciding my future. I’m in no hurry. Many are waiting, I feel sorry for them. At the moment I’m happy where I am, both the team and I are in no hurry, we’re taking it calmly,” concludes Bautista.
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