Alvaro Bautista has 𒁏hit back at a subtle claim from Andrea Iannone in💞 Sepang.

“I learned I’m faster than Bautista last year,” Iannone quipped after his MotoGP c♏omeback in Malaysia.

“I learned this.”

Iannone was racing in MotoGP for the first time since 2019 at the same track 💜that Bautista rode at as a wildcard last year.

Bautꦐista finished 17th in 2023, also riding a Ducati, in his firꦡst MotoGP appearance in four years, like Iannone.

Bautista also qualified second-last and w๊as 👍P22 in the sprint last year at Sepang.

Iannone matched Bautista’s P17 in the grand prix at this yearꦜ’s round.

Butඣ his꧋ claim that he was faster has received a rebuttal.

“Oh my goodness…thank goodness there are times,” Baut🧔ista replied to Iannone via social media.

“Actually he was exactly two minutes faster than me, with one lap less of🧔 c𝔍ourse.

“Because if you take one lap off my time,ꦓ to do 19 like he♎ did, I am three seconds faster…and injured…”

Last year, Bautista revealed after his nightmare MotoGP wildcard in Sepang that he was carrying an injury from a prio꧑r crash.

This season, Bautist൩a and Iann♑one have locked horns in the World Superbike Championship.

Bautista conce💞ded his WSBK title to Toprak Razgatlioglu, and finished third in the championship. Iannone was seventh in his first season after a four-year ban.

They will both be back in WSBK in 2025. And b🥃ack in MotoGP? Who knows…