Alvaro Bautista’s continuation with Ducati within the 2026 WorldSBK season was crucial, he thinks, if he’s to contend for victories subsequent 12 months.
The Spanish rider will stick with the Italian model with which he has taken all 63 of his WorldSBK race wins, however within the satellite tv for pc Barni Spark staff.
The 2-time World Superbike Champion stated that the transfer to Barni is one thing that gives him an excellent stability of the assorted points of racing, and likewise that he was helped to achieve an settlement with each Barni and Ducati by Gigi Dall’Igna, Common Supervisor of Ducati Corse.
“I knew that what I must go quick and a minimum of make certain that I can combat for good outcomes, the goal was to stay in Ducati,” Alvaro Bautista advised WorldSBK.com.
“For positive, the choices had been to stick with Barni, but additionally in the previous few weeks I had additionally the prospect or the chance to remain on this staff, with Aruba. However you must put every little thing in stability and I made a decision to maneuver to Barni as a result of it was, for me, the extra thrilling proposal.
“However the factor that was clear was to race with Ducati.
“Additionally, I spoke lots with Gigi [Dall’Igna], and I advised to him ‘I wish to race with Ducati as a result of it’s the bike I really feel I can present all my potential and use all my potential’.
“He agreed and he supported me from the primary day, so it was necessary and we received it.”
Bautista added that it was necessary for him to have technical assist from Ducati within the Italian satellite tv for pc staff.
“For positive, for him [Marco Barnabo, Barni Racing team owner] it’s not simple to have a prime rider within the class and his goal was to have the prospect to provide me the perfect to combat for the perfect,” he stated.
“For positive, it’s not simple for a staff like that, however we spoke lots with Ducati and, on the finish, I feel we arrived to a very good compromise as a result of I’ve all of the assist from Ducati for subsequent 12 months – with the bike, with the folks working with me – so, on the finish, I’ll have full manufacturing unit assist from Ducati.
“This was crucial as a result of, on the finish, I don’t wish to maintain racing only for racing; if I wish to maintain racing it’s as a result of I really feel I can combat for wins and that is my goal, and I feel it was necessary to have, a minimum of on the technical aspect, the perfect to combat for that.
“Additionally, on the opposite aspect, on the financial aspect, can be an excellent supply, so I feel on the finish I discovered an excellent compromise, and I’m actually comfortable, actually excited for the brand new problem.”
Bautista was capable of get a primary style of 2026 in a latest check at Aragon with the up to date Panigale V4 R. It was not a check about efficiency, the Spaniard insisted, however it was necessary to provide preliminary suggestions on two completely different configurations of the bike.
“It was our ‘first date’ and it was not too unhealthy, sincerely,” he stated.
“But it surely was not an actual efficiency check, it was a check simply to match many objects that Ducati have to match earlier than deciding which bike we are going to use; so I had two bikes and I began to match some objects for Ducati.
“It was not like a efficiency check, it was simply to take the primary [time to sit on the bike] and to provide info to Ducati.
“So, I feel it was necessary as a result of we tried many issues they usually know now my path for the bike for subsequent 12 months.”
