The future of Alvaro Bautista is the question that is keeping the Superbike paddock in check. Everyone is curious to know what the Spaniard’s decision will be, but the latter prefers to wait and take his time.
At the moment the reigning champion is forced to chase Toprak’s BMW and the test promises to be extremely difficult. The Donington round sent a clear and precise signal to the Aruba rider, who aims to close the gap in Most.
The question that reigns in the paddock is one: what will Alvaro do? Will he stay or say goodbye?
Of course, Bautista has to evaluate many dynamics in order to decide which choice to make. The first is his confidence on the Ducati, which as we all know has an extra 6kg of weight compared to last season. This rule has not gone down well with the Iberian, since it was specifically designed to hit him.
However, there should be no particular changes on the regulatory front for 2025 because the current ones will be maintained. Furthermore, if the FIM were to backtrack, it would mean acknowledging a mistake. At the same time, however, we do not feel like excluding anything because at the beginning of 2023 the proposal regarding the weight limit for the bike + rider was cancelled while a year later it was approved.
This will remain one of the mysteries.
The other point is how much Ducati can guarantee in view of 2025 on the development front. Next year the Panigale V4 will remain the same as this year because the new model will not arrive before 2026. The question remains that of the double-sided swingarm, which could mean a significant turning point on the evolution front.
In all this, there is an adversary to deal with like Toprak, who does not seem to want to make the slightest discount. Bautista is aware of this and, for this very reason, will take all the time necessary before deciding. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that it will take until August to have a choice. In the background, there are those waiting like Andrea Iannone, among the candidates for the Spaniard’s saddle.
In this long summer soap opera, however, there is one certainty: everything or almost everything must change to remain the same. And Alvaro knows this.
