Alvaro Bautista tried to do what he could on Sunday in Misano. After the morning’s crash in the Superpole Race, the Spaniard took third position in the afternoon, climbing onto the last available step of the podium.
If in the last two editions the world champion dominated the scene on the Riviera, this time the script turned out to be very different, because Alvaro was called to chase. At the end of the race his words best capture the situation.
“It wasn’t an easy weekend – he began – I lacked confidence and I had to make more changes today than in the whole of last season. Unfortunately this morning I crashed and started from the back on the fourth row, finishing third. Even if I had started from the front row I would not have gone beyond third position. We therefore need to understand how to improve because our level is lower than last season while the competition has made progress.”
Alvaro, where do you think you’ll start again?
“First of all we have to extract our maximum potential, seeking that confidence that allows me to stop the bike as I like and then insert it as I want. There’s no point in wasting time thinking about where Toprak and BMW are stronger than us.”
In winter the FIM intervened by applying 6 kg of ballast. Do you think Toprak should be restricted now too?
“I am not the FIM that sets the rules. The only thing I can do is do my best with what I have, without asking to stop other riders unlike what happened with me in the past. In fact, I’m not here to ask us to slow down the other riders if we are slower than them because that wouldn’t be correct. Unfortunately we have many problems to solve and we have to work.”
Can you explain the morning fall?
“Unfortunately I had a lot of difficulty stopping the bike, especially in corners with a lot of angle, in fact I kept losing the front. In the end I fell and it was just as well that nothing happened, because I was also on the inside.”
How much are these 6 extra kg affecting you at the moment?
“I can’t do anything because this is the rule and it’s better not to think about it. Furthermore, this is the bike and this is what I have to fight with regardless of whether it is heavier or not. My priority is to find a good set-up while from a mental point of view I prefer not to think that this rule is against me, but only to balance the Championship.”
Regarding your future, do you already have any ideas or deadlines to respect?
“At the moment I have no deadline. After this weekend I will think about it and there are some priorities in my mind, the first is to understand why I don’t have the confidence I had a year ago. This is the only thing I think about, also because no one has asked me what I want to do. Before Donington I will speak, aware of the fact that I am not making up the gap.”
Iannone would like to get on your motorbike.
“I know that many people are waiting and I feel sorry for him and for the others. However, I want to take the necessary time and be calm considering that Aruba is family to me.”
