SBK | Bautista: “The tests give us confidence for the Misano race”

A lot of time has passed since the last race was held, but, after two months of stopping, the Superbike returns to the track this weekend for the fourth round of the season. Home track for Ducati, which arrives as championship leader with Alvaro Bautista. The two-time world champion is facing a crucial weekend, because triumphing in front of the public at the Misano World Circuit would make an important impact on the season and also on the future.

However, the only future that the reigning champion is thinking about is that of the Misano round, which he enters with a 6-point advantage over Toprak Razgatlioglu: “It’s been a really long time since the last race and for this reason there is great desire to return to the track, especially in Misano, the Home GP for Ducati with many fans who will come to see us. I really like the circuit, it’s very nice to drive and in the past we’ve managed to achieve great results.”

“We collected important data during the test a few days ago and for this reason I am confident that starting tomorrow I will be able to find a good set up that will allow me to have fun and ride the bike as I like. My goal and that of the team is to focus on ourselves to obtain the best performances and then we will draw conclusions,” explained Bautista, drawing on the tests carried out last week in Misano.

The Spaniard is 14 points ahead of teammate Nicolò Bulega, who arrives at Misano with the enthusiasm of his home race. The rider from Montecchio dell’Emilia is making his debut in Superbike this year and for the first time he will ride the Panigale V4R in front of his fans. Winner of the first race of the season in Australia, he is looking for his second success on his own track: “It’s very nice to be in Misano. The closer the weekend gets, the more the emotion grows. I am very excited and happy to race with these colours: we are an Italian team, on an Italian motorbike and an Italian rider. It’s the home race and the atmosphere will be fantastic. There will be many friends who will come to see me and many fans who will push us. I’ll give it my all to have some good races.”

Three-pronged Ducati in this round at Misano: the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team fields a third Panigale V4R bearing the number 51. In fact, Michele Pirro will be on the track, who will contest the Romagna race as a wild card: “I’m happy to be back in the World Superbike after a few years. It is a new challenge with many different factors compared to MotoGP and the Italian Speed ​​Championship. “

“I am happy to represent Aruba Racing – Ducati since this year we were unable to race at Mugello with the Desmosedici GP. For this reason I can’t wait to be on the track with the Panigale V4R together with Alvaro Bautista and Nicolò Bulega to defend the same colours. I thank Ducati and Stefano Cecconi for this opportunity and I can say that, although I am no longer very young, the emotion and determination to face a challenge of this level are always very high”, explained Pirro, happy to return to competing on the world stage .