Alvaro Bautista: ‘It was crazy, a lot of riders touching’
Alvaro Bautista believes he sho💖uld have used his extra pace at t🥀he beginning of Race 1 at the Australian WorldSBK round.
Following a poor qualifying, WorldSBK champion Alvaro Bautista made a stunning getaway to go from ninth ꧃to second by the time riders reached turn one.
But Bautista soon lost ground as he was overtaken by Nicolo Bulega andꦯ Toprak Razgatlioglu.
However, it wasn’t until being pushed wide by Sam Lowes that Bautista’s pr🔯oblems truly began.
The two-time world champion dropped to tenth as a result, and despite a quick overtake on Jonathan Rea, Bautista’s recovery ended✃ there as he crashed at turn ten when trying to pass Axel Bassani.
🎉“It was not the start to the season I dreamed of,” said Bautis🅺ta. “But it could happen. I made a really good start from the third row and got second position.
“At that moment I had a bit more to get the lead♔ and increase the pace. But I decided to stay there and it was crazy because a lot of riders were in the group, lots of touching and on the third lap Sam [Lowes] touched me and took me outside of turn nine.
“I lost lots of places and when I tried to recover the places I crashed😼 at turn ten. I could not do anythin꧋g.
“I continued the race with the handlebar a bit too close, but weꦚ finished and could get more confidence with the bike.”
Bautista eventually came across the line in 15th, gaining one po✨int as a result of his impressive pace despite the 🍸damage.
But when asked what he could have achieved, Bauti﷽sta said a podium could have been on the cards.
“I don’t kn🥀ow because there were many riders in the group,” Added Bautista. “In the morning I had a good feeling with the pace.
“I think fighting for the podium was possib💎le but I crashed so it doesn’t matter whether it was possible or not.
“▨The truth is that I crashed and we have another day tomorrow to try to get more confident with the bike and to take another st🐼ep forward.”
With team-mate Nic🍌olo Bulega going on to w🔯in, the potential for Bautista to do the same should be there.
But th🍎e Spaniard is heading into Sunday’s double-header wit﷽h no expectations.
Bautista said: “You cannot expect anything. Races untiꦇl the checkered flag can involve everything.
“I will try to make the same start because it was one of the best starts in my life, going from P9 to second. Today I enjoyed passing🐻 a lot of other riders.
“There are no expectations for tomorrow."
