The 2024 WorldSBK title is not Bautista's 'target' heading into the final two rounds

09/30/2024 04:02 AM

The 2024 World Superbike (WorldSBK) title is not Alvaro Bautista's main target with only six races left.

Alvaro Bautista has struggled with the new weight rules in the 2024 World Superbike Championship. The two-time WorldSBK Champion has only won four races in 2024, compared to the 27 wins he had in 2023.

Bautista had not won a race since the Superpole Race at Assen, which was the third round of the season. However, at MotorLand Aragon (Round 10 of the 2024 season) Bautista took two victories this weekend in the Superpole Race and Race Two.

After returning to the top step of the podium Bautista was understandably overjoyed with his performance:

"I was really happy with the feeling I had with the bike," Bautista stated. "I had some problems with the front I was not able to push to the limit, But today everything was normal so I was able to push."

Bautista went on to describe his win in the Sprint Race: "The Superpole Race was really fast, I was on the limit trying to follow Toprak (Razgatlioglu) and Nicolo (Bulega). I saw some battling between them and Nicolo was very strong so I knew he could fight for the win. I thought I would have to stay in third, which would have been ok. But in the last three laps, I saw how Toprak passed him, and I saw how Nicolo was missing something. I knew if I wanted to win I had to pass Nicolo and Toprak, otherwise, if I had stayed behind Nicolo I don't think he would have attacked again.

"With two laps to go, I passed Nicolo and on the last lap I tried to stay close to Toprak and entering the back straight I knew the only chance I had was there. On the back straight the BMW was faster than the Ducati in fifth and sixth gear, so it was impossible to pass him on the straight. I passed him before the straight and it worked because I kept the position for the last braking zone and I closed the door. I was really really happy because it was a good fight for the victory."

In the final race of the weekend, Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu set a blistering pace. Both riders were setting new lap records in their battle for the win: "Race Two was incredible because the pace after midrace was amazing, it was similar or even better to the Superpole Race. I had a good start, I took the lead, but I struggled in the first few laps with the weight of a full fuel tank. As the laps passed I was getting a better feeling on the bike and the bike was following more of my strengths. I was pushing the limit but I could not make a mistake because Toprak was always behind."

With six races to go Bautista is 81 points behind Razgatlioglu in the 2024 World Superbike standings. The Spaniard can mathematically win his third WorldSBK title in a row, but he has admitted that it is no longer his target.

"Mathematically it is possible, and in the past, we have seen many strange things, but it is not my target right now. My target is to keep my confidence on the bike and keep growing my confidence and that is all."

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