Mandalika WorldSBK: Alvaro Bautista fastest and in a ‘good position', but warns 'I don’t like to relax’

Particularly fast over one lap, WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista looks to be in contention for victory again in Mandalika after topping Friday practice.
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Mandalika
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Mandalika

The Ducati rider, who will have his first match-point of the season in Saturday’s Race 1, was four tenths clear of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Toprak Razgatlioglu as big margins were the story of day-one. 

A lack of grip in FP1 resulted in lap times being a long way of the type of race pace expect𒀰ed in all three races this weekend, however, FP2 was much more representative as Razgatlioglu appeared strongestཧ. 

But with Bautista♚ in position to win the title even if he’s beaten by ꦬRazgatlioglu in all three races, stopping the Spaniard from winning the title this weekend looks like a tough task, even at this early stage. 

Razgatlioglu topped FP1 with Bautista seven tenth further back in th🐈ird, but most of that was due to the Ducati rider taking longer to adapt to the conditions - conditions he claims have left a very thin racing line even with improvements in FP2.

"In the afternoon it was better but we have 60 ce🐟ntimetres of track we can use. 💮The rest we cannot use," stated Bautista. 

"I think it’s better. When it will be normal conditions after some races then I think the asphalt won’t be broken like last year,” added the former MotoGP rider when asked about the asphalt after the Mand🧸alika circuit underwent another resurfacing. 

"I can remember last year in FP1, especially corner one, it was crazy. Today there was nothing. I think it’s bett🍎er, definitely."

WorldSBK championship leader in no mood to change strategy

Alvaro Bautista, Indonesian WorldSBK. 11 November
Alvaro Bautista, Indonesian WorldSBK. 11 November

Although Bautista has a massive advantage and can therefore take less risks this weekend, the Ducati man is🧜 aiming to continue riding with the same mentality as the previous ten roꦅunds. 

"It’s a good position to be in but at the same time I don’t like to relax," added Bautista. "I want to 𝓡improve like a rider, I want to always be a bit better and when you r𝔍elax you lose some time. 

"It’s like yo💫u have to recover. For me it’s not like we two races left. We [also] have 2023 and for me I want to improve. 

"To improve you need to be ambitious and try to get the maximum in every condition. One thing is to be relaxed𓂃 and the other is to not take too much risk. 

"But it will b🦩e the same as all of this year. I will keep this way until at least the end of 2023."

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