It is a bitter Bautista and at the same time aware of his potential. At the end of the free practice at Donington, the Spaniard is in sixth position, more than half a second from the top, held by Toprak Razgatlioglu.
The reigning world champion is called to face a climb against an opponent who does not seem to want to leave any stone unturned. The BMW standard-bearer seems unstoppable while the Aruba standard-bearer seems to have his back to the wall and he is realistic.
“Today was a difficult day,” he began, “I used the same setup as Barcelona and Assen because we suffered a lot in Misano. The sensations are not bad even if we are far away and our base doesn’t work as it should. In the afternoon I used a different setup and it was horrible, so much so that I had to stop after the fall. I certainly don’t have the same sensations as last year, but my confidence is growing and I don’t want to be too worried.”
Alvaro, do you think you have any cards to play against Toprak?
“Unfortunately, I have no weapons against Toprak here at Donington. I think it’s clear that I don’t ride the bike like last year, given that in 2024 I was able to turn and brake as I wanted, in fact I gave 100%. This year, however, I can’t express my best even if inside I’m giving it. So the difference is big”.
How are you experiencing this delicate moment in your career?
“I don’t look at my past because this is my situation now. I’m trying to give my all to improve this situation, but it’s not easy. Obviously if you win it’s more fun, but now we are in this position and I just have to work.”
Do you think it is possible to improve the Panigale with the current regulations?
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know, but I can’t help but try. The only thing I can do is try to extract the most from what I have. The fact is that we can’t expect to have great improvements.”
You didn’t use the new exhaust today, right?
“To tell the truth, there is not a big difference between the new system and the one from two years ago. The new exhaust has an impact more in terms of weight than performance, which I think is practically the same. Bulega used it only for a question of weight, which does not concern me since I already have the ballast”.
