Nicolo Bulega, claiming the top spot (P1), and Alvaro Bautista, securing third place (P3), share their thoughts on Thursday’s WSBK test.
The Catalunya WorldSBK test could be seen as the turning point when Alvaro Bautista’s title defense campaign truly kicked off.
Bautista faced a winter filled with injuries ahead of the 2024 season, which introduces new weight regulations.
However, during the initial day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, on Thursday, Bautista achieved the third-fastest time and left with a sense of satisfaction.
Bautista held the second-best time until a late push from Toprak Razgatlioglu, ultimately completing 100 laps with a fastest time of 1’41.029s.
He reassured that there are no lingering effects from his injury, stating, “Now, I’m content because I feel like I’ve returned.”
“After the Australian Round, I was quite optimistic, and today, I started a bit cautiously, but then I found my rhythm on the bike,” Bautista added.
“I can confidently say that I have no issues handling the bike.
“We didn’t make many adjustments because, for me, it’s crucial to establish a good connection with the bike.”
“The bike remains largely unchanged from last year. There’s a bit more weight, but essentially, the bike hasn’t undergone significant changes.
“Getting the right feel, adapting to the new weight of the bike, and identifying where we can push harder or ease off are all crucial factors.”
NICOLO BULEGA TAKES TOP SPOT ON THURSDAY IN BARCELONA
Bautista’s Ducati teammate Nicolo Bulega has consistently topped the timesheets in every WSBK test he has participated in.
On Thursday, he completed 72 laps with an impressive best time of 1’40.305s, achieving this on his 67th lap.
He ended the day half-a-second ahead of Razgatlioglu.
Bulega commented, “Being P1 isn’t a bad feeling!
“I understand it’s just a test, but it gives me a lot of confidence to be in the lead, even if I were in second place; I’m fast, so that’s positive.
“I used the SCQ, just like Alvaro, Toprak, and many others.
“I also tested the new Pirelli C900 tire, and I found it promising; I believe it could be a good option for the upcoming round.
“I had a good feeling with all the tires I tried today. We focused heavily on the clutch because, in Australia, my starts were poor.
“We experimented with something new on the clutch to improve my starts. I made some progress, so I’m pleased, but race situations are always more challenging.”
All WSBK riders will continue testing in Barcelona on Friday.
Stay tuned with We4GP for more news.
