'I will try to close the gap and fight with him next year' - Bautista hopes to be closer to Nicolo Bulega in 2025
11/08/2024 04:03 AM
The 2024 season was not up to Alvaro Bautista's usual standards, but he aims to improve in 2025.
Alvaro Bautista was present at EICMA in Milan with the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Team after the 2024 World Superbike season.
In the 2024 season, Bautista lost his World Championship crown after a difficult season. The Spaniard ended the season in third place behind his teammate, Nicolo Bulega, and Toprak Razgatlioglu.
After the final round of the season, the World Superbike riders had a test in Jerez where Bautista took a drastic new approach.
"The test in Jerez was different than normal," Bautista said. "After a really tough Jerez Round for us, we decided to restart and do something different. I asked Ducati to make a completely different bike, with the setup and electronics all different. Because I wanted to change my feeling with the bike, we went into details with the setup and it worked well. But in 2024 the rules were changed and the level was higher and more riders were fighting for victories.
"In the data we could see a lot of difference between the other Ducati riders and me. Before I was the fastest Ducati rider but this year we were not the fastest at every track. I wanted to change my feeling with the bike so we started from zero. It worked well because what I was looking for was a different feeling with the bike and I found it. Now we have started a new different way, so let's see in the future if it worked or not. But at the moment I am happy with the feeling I found in that test."
'Some electronic and engine upgrades, but not big changes.'
Bautista will now enjoy his off-season away from his Superbike. Last year the Spaniard's off-season was impacted by injuries that he had picked up in the season. However, this year Bautista is fighting fit going into his 2025 preparations.
"Until the end of January, I will not ride my racing bike," Bautista explained. "So at the moment, I am trying to train physically and mentally. Now I will do some motocross or supermotard so that I can do some laps on a bike. But it should be a normal winter, hopefully this time I don't have any physical problems like last year. It did not allow me to make my normal preparations but this year I can arrive at the first race in a normal situation."
After getting his title taken away from him by Razgatlioglu and BMW it was clear that Ducati would be looking for improvements in 2025. However, Bautista pointed out that the new Panigale will not arrive until 2026, but he will get minor improvements for 2025.
"I am looking forward to the new Panigale with the two arms on the swingarm," Bautista stated. "But it will arrive in 2026, so in 2025 I will have the same bike but with some updates. Some electronic and engine upgrades, but not big changes. It will be interesting to see if the new way we are working is good enough to be competitive again."
'He did very well in his first year. But I will try to close the gap.'
Bautista was also beaten by his rookie teammate, Nicolo Bulega, in 2024. The Italian World Supersport Champion came into the class and fought for the Superbike title in his first season. After two seasons of dominance, Bautista wants to become Ducati's number-one rider again in 2025.
"Having Nicolo on the other side of the box is very good," Bautista explained. "Because I got to see what he does differently to me. It worked in many situations and I tried to learn, it was positive that another rider with a different style could be fast as well. I try to use this information and make a mix between his strong points and my strong points to make a complete package. He is not easy to beat because he is very strong and very talented, he did very well in his first year. But I will try to close the gap and fight with him next year."
The post 'I will try to close the gap and fight with him next year' - Bautista hopes to be closer to Nicolo Bulega in 2025 appeared first on BikeSport News.
