Alvaro Bautista discusses Ducati team orders ahead of Estoril World Superbike
“Try not to disturb my teammate but also him not disturbing me.”
Following two wins at Aragon two weeks ago, Alvaro Bautista arrives in Portugal for the Estoril World Superbike with renewed motivation.
Bautista had only recorded two wins in 2024 before Aragon, meaning he doubled his tally at MotorLand.
“After a Sunday like I had at MotorLand Aragon, I’m very motivated,” Bautista told WorldSBK.com ahead of this weekend’s Estoril Round.
“That was then and now we’re here at a different track, different conditions.
“It’s two years since I raced here. The target is trying to get the feeling I had at Aragon which was really nice. I’m happy the feeling’s coming back!
“We struggled a lot at the beginning of the season because I started with an injury, then we didn’t know why I couldn’t have the confidence with the bike, or the same performance.
“Fortunately, it was like a light switch on at Most and we made a change on the bike which definitely helped me to recover the confidence.”
Both Bautista and his factory Ducati teammate, Nicolo Bulega, are mathematically in contention for the title with BMW’s Toprak Razgatlioglu entering Estoril this weekend, but Bulega is also 42 points clear of Bautista, and 39 points behind Razgatlioglu.
The team orders question came up two weeks ago in Aragon between Bautista and Bulega, and the Spaniard beat his Italian teammate in both of the Sunday races.
“At Aragon, we had a small briefing before the Saturday race because it was clear that both riders had the chance to fight against Toprak [Razgatlioglu],” Bautista said.
“But it’s true Bulega’s chances were much better than mine.
“We decided to help Nicolo [Bulega] at Aragon, try not to be between him and Toprak, and try to help him take off some points.
“After Saturday, the problem he had with the engine, the situation was different. On Sunday, he was there, and it was the same idea; don’t be between Toprak and Nicolo.
“In the Superpole Race, it was our target to try to help Nicolo and be between them but with Nicolo first.
“In the last laps, I saw it could be Toprak, Nicolo and me so I tried to make it so Nicolo lost two points instead of three, which was better; I tried to win the race and I did, and it was the same in Race 2.
“Right now, there’s not that kind of team order but this weekend will be something similar; try not to disturb my teammate but also him not disturbing me.”
Bulega was also asked about the team orders situation. “I never ask, and I don’t want [team orders],” he told WorldSBK.com. “Alvaro [Bautista] is very fast — if he can have the possibility to win, he has to win.”
