Álvaro Bautista: "The WSBK is not the second league, it's different"

February 2, 2022

For years, the MotoGP paddock was Alvaro Bautista’s second home. In the 2002 season he made his debut in the 125cc World Championship and four years later, the rider from Talavera de la Reina won the title. After three years in the 250cc World Championship, his path took him to Suzuki in MotoGP.

From 2010 to 2018, Bautista was a regular rider in the premier class and since 2019 he competes in the Superbike World Championship. But is the WSBK really the second league of motorcycling, as some claim?

“It’s not the second league. It’s a different league,” Bautista tries to explain in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com.

“MotoGP is the premier class. The bikes are prototypes. That’s where new technologies are created. In the World Superbike Championship we use superbikes. New technologies here come later.”

Due to the fact that this theory is subject to various opinions, Álvaro Bautista was encouraged to recognize the most notable differences between the two categories.

“Life in the Superbike World Championship is different. But my way of working, preparing myself at home or on the track, is identical,” clarifies the former MotoGP rider.

“The only difference is that this paddock is much more relaxed and accessible. It is friendlier, although the rivalry is incredible,” said the Talavera de la Reina rider.

“In MotoGP there is more pressure. You always have to go after the points,” says Bautista, who has ridden for Suzuki, Honda, Aprilia and Ducati in MotoGP. “It’s more relaxed here. You feel less pressure.”

In his debut with Ducati, Bautista gave many surprises and stood up to the critics of the Superbike World Championship who do not consider the world championship to be of a high level.

“The race weekends are more exhausting here. There is a tight program from Saturday with practice, Superpole and the race. It is difficult, especially for the front,” explains Bautista.

“If you have a good race on Saturday, you still can’t relax because there are two more races on Sunday. On the other hand, a bad race on Saturday can be made up for a bit the next day.”

“When I got to the World Superbike Championship, I got a competitive bike with which I could show my potential. With it, I was able to fight for victories.”

“The level of the riders here is also very high. In MotoGP there are maybe four or five fast riders. But a leading rider in the Superbike World Championship can also fight to be in the top five in MotoGP,” Álvaro Bautista concluded. .

Alvaro Bautista, Team HRC, Isaac Vinales, Orelac Racing Verdnatura