Alvaro Bautista says he had no “new gadgets” to check on the Jerez WorldSBK take a look at, and targeted on setup as a substitute.
Though Ducati has grow to be the strongest producer in WorldSBK in recent times – successful back-to-back titles with Alvaro Bautista, and taking victories with satellite tv for pc riders Andrea Iannone and Danilo Petrucci final yr – its present Panigale V4 R is now in its remaining yr, with a brand new era set to interchange it for the 2026 season.
Maybe because of the stage the present bike is at in its life cycle, there was an absence of latest materials for Ducati’s manufacturing facility riders to strive in Jerez, in line with Bautista.
“Principally, yesterday we didn’t use any new gadgets from Ducati,” Bautista advised WorldSBK.com.
“For certain Ducati labored lots in the course of the winter, however not for some gadgets, simply with the bottom we’ve got to enhance a bit of bit in some areas, particularly on the electronics aspect.”
With no new elements to strive, Bautista was simply persevering with with the setup work he started within the post-season assessments final yr.
“Principally, yesterday we continued the work we began in November the place we modified completely all of the bike; a brand new setup looking for one other option to go quick as a result of we have to make a step ahead from 2024, and we tried a unique option to work,” he stated.
“So, yesterday we continued this work – we didn’t contact many issues as a result of with these circumstances we had with the wind it was obscure if it may be higher or not.
“Principally, we simply made some kilometres simply making an attempt to adapt the physique, the sensation, the thoughts, as a result of after three months it’s worthwhile to restart once more. So, it was like the primary day to make a superb ‘shakedown’ and don’t make errors.”
The one new piece that Ducati is predicted to introduce for 2025 is a brand new exhaust, and Bautista stated he’ll get his first probability to strive it at subsequent week’s take a look at in Portimao.
“I’ll take a look at it for the primary time in Portimao,” he stated.
“Thankfully we don’t have many days between this take a look at and the following one, so let’s see as a result of will probably be the final take a look at in Europe, then we are going to fly to Australia for the primary race, so will probably be necessary to get extra suggestions.
“I hope the climate is sweet there and [we will] attempt to discover a good setup, a superb base for the primary spherical.”
Bautista and his teammate Nicolo Bulega each elected to not journey on Thursday on the take a look at, the Spaniard explaining that this was right down to the restricted variety of take a look at days – with out working on Thursday, Bulega and Bautista (and everybody else who didn’t run on Thursday) every have a day now that they will use later within the yr when maybe circumstances shall be higher.
“Immediately within the rain, we didn’t need to throw away a day of testing as a result of we don’t have lots in the course of the season, so no must journey in these circumstances, in moist circumstances,” he stated.
“We’d like now to make a greater setup and discover a good setup for the dry. So, not one of the simplest ways to begin the preseason, however it may have been worse if we couldn’t journey in each days.”
Bautista was additionally barely displeased with the circumstances that confronted the riders on Wednesday: dry, however windy.
“For certain it has been actually two tough days,” he stated.
“Yesterday we had been fortunate that it didn’t rain, however it was too windy. Sincerely, I didn’t really feel so snug driving in these circumstances, however at the very least it was dry so we may make some first kilometres of the preseason, to recuperate the sensation after three months with out driving these bikes.
“So, it was optimistic to get again once more to driving, however for certain it was not the most effective circumstances doable.”
