Alvaro Bautista and Johnny Rea are two riders who need very little in the way of introduction. In fact, it is the numbers and their respective careers that speak for them: the former led Ducati back to victory in World Superbike, while the latter has written the history of the category, winning no less than six world titles.
In recent years the two have been major protagonists on the track of battles and challenges between on-the-limit braking, overtaking and of course a fair amount of friction, such as in 2022, the year of the famous Magny-Cours accident in Race 2.
Riders with different and in some ways contrasting characters: Alvaro extrovert, Johnny instead more reserved, but certainly champions endowed with charisma, personality and great lucidity in speaking and analyzing every situation.
The fact remains that 2024 was a year to forget for both of them. While for Rea the adventure in Yamaha was supposed to be an opportunity for a revival after the difficulties with Kawasaki, the northern Irishman sank into the abyss. In addition to not winning a single race, Rea even ended the championship outside the top ten, finishing a full 300 points behind the winner, namely Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Bautista, who was chasing a third title, had to contend with a ballasted Ducati, which weighed him down as never before since he has been racing in Superbike. In the season that just ended, Johnny and Alvaro had to contend with a different position from which they were accustomed: from predator to prey, from dominator to wanderer. All in a context where the new is advancing faster and faster. While before the only rider giving them problems was Toprak, now there is also a new face, namely Nicolò Bulega, who his own teammate in the corner in 2024.
For Alvaro and Johnny, the former approaching 41 years of age, the latter 38, 2025 thus becomes a crucial year for their careers. Indeed, Bautista's priority will be to see if he can still have fun riding the Panigale, Rea, on the other hand, whether he will still be a winning rider or not.
Both of them have always been very clear and transparent about their future: "The day I'm no longer having fun I'm leaving," the former No. 1 has told us several times. "The day I'm no longer able to win, there will be no point in continuing," the number 65 emphasized instead.
The hope for this 2025 season is, of course, to see Alvaro and Johnny dueling again up there at the front for the top positions, just as they did until a couple of years ago. That would be the best calling card for a challenge between two greats and at the same time for a generational confrontation that the category has been experiencing in the last period.
If not, it would not be surprising to see both politely escorted to the door.