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There hasn't even been time to celebrate the start of the new season, after presenting the 2025 livery, because for the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team it is already time to pack up and head to Australia, to focus on the final touches ahead of the first Round of the year. The race at Phillip Island is particularly important after the rainy winter encountered by the Superbike riders. But while Nicolò Bulega still seems to have everything under control, it is a different matter for Alvaro Bautista, who is still looking for the right feeling with his Panigale V4R.
The situation of the Spaniard was just one of the issues we discussed on the sidelines of the presentation with Serafino Foti, Team Manager of the official Ducati lineup.
"Unfortunately, both at Jerez and Portimao the weather did not help us, because we really had so many things to test. But I have to say that we all arrive a little bit in the same conditions, because it rained for the others as well," noted the ex-rider. "Obviously, the tests we will do on Monday and Tuesday will be very important, because we hope to find good conditions. Then, as we know, Australia is always a race in itself: even in the past, the real form we have always seen in the European races. We, in any case, are very confident, because we have worked hard this winter, especially to configure the bike according to the new regulations and the limitation of fuel flow. Now Nicolò has one more year of experience and will definitely be able to improve further, while Alvaro is very motivated, otherwise he would not continue racing at 40 years old."
Bautista said he has not yet been able to find the feeling he is looking for. Will testing in Australia be enough to get him ready for the first race?
"Unfortunately, we still haven't been able to give him the confidence he needs, but I'm more concerned about the weather there than the fact that we won't be able to. At Phillip Island we will not have two full days but only eight hours total, however, we will try. Then, it is a track that is friendly to him and maybe that will help him. The important thing is to get off to a good start, because I think if he can do that then he will be able to find the feeling again. Since even last year he was very strong in some races like Aragon, where he had an incredible feeling. He has not forgotten, but it is clear that we have to be the ones to help him find those sensations he had in 2022 and 2023."
Should he fail to fully regain them, could the prospect of taking the field with the new Ducati twin-sided swingarm be enough to convince him to continue for another year?
"Knowing him, he races because he has fun and to perform, and in my opinion he himself would be the one to say enough if he doesn't have the performance. I don't think that will happen, though, because Alvaro can still give so much. He looks like a kid even though he is 40 years old. I hope to continue with him, but rightly we will see how the first 3 or 4 races go, and then he will be the first to decide his future."
Speaking of the fuel flow restriction, the bikes that should be affected the most are those with high RPM like Ducati. How much will that change for you with this new legislation?
"We will find out, because for now no one has done any real simulations. Honestly, we have done our calculations and we know what's coming, but we have to figure out how it will go with everyone else, and see what will actually happen in the race or at least after the real simulations. We will see, but hopefully we will be able to defend ourselves even with this new regulation. It is true, though, that the more revs you have, the more you are penalized."
However, the goal this year remains to try to take back the title.
"Yes, it is pointless to try and hide it: that is our goal. Also because, honestly, when you taste the scent of victory then you always want to win. Without taking anything away from Toprak, who did an incredible championship, and deserved it with flying colors, obviously our goal is to try to win."
How do you plan to counter Toprak and the BMW? Do you think they will be a little less dominant without the chassis with Superconcessions, or will nothing change?
"To counter Toprak and the BMW, we must not have weak points, because he has few. So, we have to understand and study his weaknesses and try ourselves not to have any and not to make mistakes, because he is really flawless in so many situations. How much will it affect not having the chassis with Superconcessions is something only they know. In my opinion this is a decision that FIM made to try again to balance the performance a little bit like they had done in past years, when we were also penalized because they felt that our performance was not in line, let's say. Or anyway, because Alvaro always won. This situation was reversed and so they thought they would do what they did with us. In my opinion Toprak will be just as strong without the chassis, but we will find out."
Speaking of opponents, Bimota immediately got off to a very good start in these early winter tests. Were you surprised to see it so fast already?
"No, it didn't surprise me. I have known Bimota for a long time, because I used to race for them: in 1998 I was a Bimota rider together with Jean-Philippe Ruggia in Supersport. So many of them are the same as they were then, and I know that they also have a Racing DNA. So, they didn 't surprise me, and I am convinced that they will make a bike that works well and that they can have a good season. Let's not forget that in the past Anthony Gobert won the first race at Phillip Island with the Bimota SB8R. Besides, Bimota can also count on a team with so much experience like KRT, so I think they will be competitive as well."
There will also be many more Panigale V4s on the grid this year, including that of an old acquaintance of yours like Scott Redding.
"I am curious to see Scott, because he has done a good job with us: he finished once second and once third in the World Championship; he was very fast and fought with Toprak and Rea. I'm also curious because he's a guy who has a lot of drive and he's coming from a difficult time, so this will definitely give him extra motivation."
During testing, Redding replied to Bautista saying that if you take away his straight-line speed, the results are the same as last year. What do you think about that?
"I disagree, because straight-line speed is a characteristic of Alvaro and his riding style, because he gets the bike upright very early. It is a strength of his. I also disagree because heavy riders also win with this bike, so not only is a light rider advantaged, but also a thinking rider. Sometimes they say the bike is for light riders and others for heavy riders, but in fact it wins with riders with both builds. So, we have a great bike that suits every riding style."
