WorldSBK Assen: Bautista’s fightback ‘not risking more than necessary’

After the 2022 WorldSBK season ‘Big Three’ looked all that and more at Assen on Friday, Saturday and Superpole saw Alvaro Bautista starting from the middle of the second row, with designs on adding to his two Motorland Aragon race wins on his Aruba Ducati homecoming season.

Hence his opening gambit when asked about a race that gave him second place, by just the merest sliver.

“Starting from the back, it was important to don’t make a mistake in the start and have a good position,” said Alvaro. “I saw that at the beginning the pace was not so fast. So, I decided just to stay behind the group and just save some tyre life for the end of the race.

“At one point of the race, Alex Lowes and Andrea Locatelli started to battle between them. I saw the gap with Toprak and Jonathan was increasing. So, I decided to pass them and release the gap. I did it.

“When I arrived to them, I was watching the battle between both. But, I said, ‘OK I want to be part of the battle.’

“I passed Toprak. Today I was strong in some parts of the track, but not so strong in others. I think the wind did not help me too much. For sure, for everybody is difficult but maybe because I’m a bit lighter, in this moment I think this happened to be like that.

“But in any case, I tried to be close to Jonathan until the end. The last chicane I was very close, but it was a point that I was not strong. He was really strong. So, I thought, OK. I try!”

The last lap try was genuine, but never quite came off. And he knew there was some risk to try and pass Rea. “I got inside and what happens, happens. But can happen everything!

“Also having Toprak, you can win or you can crash or you can go third. At the end, the more safe option was to just stay there and maybe Jonathan