Garrett Gerloff’s recent WorldSBK form reached a new peak at Aragon, with the American rider finishing on the podium in Race 1, beating r൲eigning champion Alv𝓀aro Bautista, and taking two top-five finishes on Sunday.

Gerloff was anticipating a return to the rostrum once more on Sunday, but the top th🍌ree riders 🎀— Bautista, Toprak Razgatlioglu, and Nicolo Bulega — took a step forward, the American said.

“I was really happꦇy with the pace that I had,” Gerloff told WorldSBK.com. “I didn’t realise how fast they were going up at the front, which was even f𝐆aster.

ꦺ“I was happy to be doing 1:48s on the race tyre and, in general, I felt like I꧋ had a really good bike underneath me.

“I had a couple of issues pop up but nothing major. I gave it a𓄧ll I had so I can be happy.”

After a podium finish and three top fives in Aragon, Gerꦕloff declared the round as “prob🗹ably the best weekend I’ve had in a really long time. That’s something super positive.

“I’m a bit disappointed as I thought I’d have a bit more pace in Race 2𒁏 to be able to stay in third. As soon as I got to third, I just, for some reason, lacked🙈 a bit of pace.

“Props to Nicolo [Bulega] and also Aꦜlvaro [Bautista] and Toprak [Razgatlioglu]. They had super-fast pace.”

Gerloff had battled with Race 1 winner Andrea Iannone for fourth in the closing stages of Race 2, but missed out with a 💮lat🃏e mistake.

“I did everything that I could, I maღde a lunge on [Andrea] Iannone on the last lap,” he said. “I missed the shift so that didn’t help me at all! I was pushing the front but couldn’t stop.

“All in all, to be top five all weekend except for Superpo⛦le was pretty good.”

The Aragon Round was a continuation of strong form for ꦑGerloff that goes back to Magny-Cours, where he was on the podium in Race 2.

“I think everything just stayed pretty consistent in♓ the last few weekends,” Gerloff reflected.

“We haven’t been chasing our tail, we’ve been in a similar ballpark of setting and electronics🌜. It’s been easier for me to push a bit closer to the limit and not feel like I’m riding over the limit. That’s been something niceꦬ.

“Th🍌at’s all I really need, for the bike to be predictable, and I can try to ride a bit beyond it.

“I’ve felt pretty good all year on the bike, riding, I just haven’t had any lap time. For whatever reason, it’s been sorted out in the last few weekends, an✱d it’s just come together.

“It’s lat✱e, which is 🦩annoying, but I’ve known I’ve got pace as a rider, I’ve got a good team and a good bike.”