2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship
Spherical One – Phillip Island
Alvaro Bautista
Q: How do you’re feeling concerning the weekend?
Alvaro Bautista: “We will say it has been an ideal weekend, three races, however three very completely different races, I’m completely happy as a result of I felt good in each, and I will be aggressive in each, so yea I’m actually completely happy.”
Q: What makes you so robust on this specific monitor?
Bautista: “I don’t know, possibly I like quick corners, so this monitor solely has two gradual corners that aren’t quick, so possibly for that.
“However this season, should you see the winter exams, I used to be fairly quick in all of the tracks, so I don’t suppose it’s solely on this monitor, I feel I make a step ahead as a result of I do know the bike higher, I do know the tyre, with this bike, and the brand new bike gave me a bit bit extra of a straightforward experience, exit from the corners, that mixture of all the pieces. I feel we did a step ahead from final yr.
“We’ll see on one other monitor, for the time being the tracks I’ve rode are Jerez, Portimao and right here, I used to be fairly quick, fairly aggressive. So I look ahead for Misano, as a result of final season, not that I struggled, however I didn’t really feel that I might combat for the victories. So I look ahead to going there, and see how I really feel.”
Q: Final yr you mentioned the weak spot of the Ducati was mid-corner velocity?
Bautista: “The great factor is that with this new engine character, its allowed me to be a bit extra slower within the mid nook so I don’t want extra nook velocity, as a result of after I open the gasoline, it’s simpler exiting from the nook. So we didn’t enhance the weak level, however on the opposite aspect, we improved a bit bit the exit, in order that allowed me to not want the nook velocity and switch the bike extra with the brakes.”
Q: Your already 30 factors in entrance of Jonny and 40 in entrance of Toprak…
Bautista: “Nicely this weekend I used to be fortunate, as a result of I used to be fairly aggressive, and for me it’s like final season, it’s essential to only attempt to get the utmost each race, each weekend.
“Right here, I feel we have been a bit higher than them, so we acquired the utmost, then they did some – not errors – however Toprak crashed due to one other rider I feel, I didn’t see the picture, however I feel. Additionally Jonathan this morning had bother with one other rider, and Andrea I don’t know what occurred to him. We maximised the weekend, so we acquired the utmost.
“I don’t suppose that this season will likely be between we three, as a result of there are extra riders like Locatelli, they are going to be within the combat for the rostrum – for the victory – so this season should you don’t have a great day, you should have extra riders in between. It’s not like final season, one-two-three, three-two-one, two-one-three, and all the remaining behind that. I feel it’s completely different, so it’s a must to even be extra exact, extra centered and attempt to make least errors.”
Q: Any a part of the bike you want to enhance extra?
Bautista: “Nicely for positive, I want to enhance stability exiting from the nook, as a result of the bike strikes quite a bit. It’s not simple to place load on the bike, and likewise on the change of path, as a result of I’ve to maneuver an excessive amount of on the bike, then the bike is up within the change of path, as a result of I’ll small and have to maneuver, possibly extra, with my physique. However it’s tough to resolve that drawback, as a result of it’s the mix.
“We strive within the winter take a look at and likewise right here to attempt to make the bike extra calm. Possibly you lose a little bit of turning, or a little bit of grip, on the finish it’s a must to discover one of the best mixture doable.”
Q: Earlier than the beginning of the weekend, did you anticipate this?
Bautista: “No, particularly yesterday with the rain, I anticipated nothing, however on the finish I received. Right now possibly in Race 2 I knew that I used to be fairly constant on my tempo and particularly within the final lap, I can handle the tyre consumption. I had extra likelihood to combat for the win within the lengthy race, within the Superpole race I anticipate everybody was on mushy and I noticed that many riders can go quick, for a couple of laps, with the mushy tyre, however then races are races. It’s what they are saying, whenever you take a look at is one factor, however within the races it’s one other factor. Not that I didn’t anticipate to win three races, I simply didn’t have expectation. I simply acquired right here and did the utmost.”
Q: What about taking the Superbike to Imola?
Bautista: “I raced in 2019, however Sicily for me is a bit on the restrict of the risks, as a result of the wall may be very shut, so that you don’t have an excessive amount of run out space in lots of locations, so for me, it’s very harmful monitor. The structure, it’s a must to do a lap, work with the bike, you possibly can go quick, or much less quick, however for me, if they will enhance their security it will be significantly better. However to have the wall so near the monitor, for me *ooof* for that purpose I desire to not race there. If we race there, we’ve to and I hope nothing occurs.”
World Superbike Championship Factors
| Pos | Rider | Factors |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | 62 |
| 2 | Andrea Locatelli | 34 |
| 3 | Jonathan Rea | 31 |
| 4 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | 31 |
| 5 | Axel Bassani | 25 |
| 6 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | 23 |
| 7 | Iker Lecuona | 22 |
| 8 | Philipp Oettl | 20 |
| 9 | Danilo Petrucci | 15 |
| 10 | Xavi Vierge | 14 |
| 11 | Dominique Aegerter | 12 |
| 12 | Scott Redding | 10 |
| 13 | Remy Gardner | 10 |
| 14 | Garrett Gerloff | 8 |
| 15 | Alex Lowes | 6 |
| 16 | Michael Van Der Mark | 4 |
| 17 | Loris Baz | 1 |
| 18 | Hafizh Syahrin | 1 |
