Following this week’s news of the renewal of World Champion Alvaro Bautista’s contract with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati for 2025 the Spaniard arrived at this week’s Motul French Round in great spirits and a light crash in FP2 did not dampen his mood on Friday. Bautista finished the afternoon practice in France in sixth place and was P7 on the combined timesheets after the first day at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. He trailed Friday’s fastest rider Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) by 0.758s and was just over sixth tenths off the pace of his Ducati colleague Nicolo Bulega, who was second quickest in free practice.

Nonetheless, Bautista is positive about whatever comes his way this weekend. Asked if the recent improved feeling that he has expressed noting at the last two rounds is still with him at Magny-Cours, Bautista answered, “Yes for sure, this morning straight away I felt the same feeling as I felt at Portimao and Most, only the tyres were different. But in FP2 I started and I felt suddenly very, very good on the bike, so I’m happy about that. It’s a bit of a pity because we didn’t find an improvement with the changes we tried but it’s normal. You make some changes sometimes and you don’t always find what you hope for. But I’m happy with the feeling that I had with the bike.”

Playing down his FP2 crash, the double WorldSBK title winner stated, “I was feeling good, good pace and good feeling with the bike. Then was the practice was stopped we made some adjustments on the rear of the bike, but I didn’t like it and in fact I crashed on Turn 8. But it was an easy crash, no problems for me.”

Looking ahead to what Saturday and Sunday may bring, if it rains at Magny-Cours, Bautista is upbeat about his prospects. “It's a bit unpredictable so we have to see and we have to adapt to the conditions. For sure in the wet it would be a challenge for everybody, because for a couple of years it hasn’t rained, so it will be new for everybody at Magny-Cours,” he added. “We have to prepare for all situations and do out best. I think in the wet I have felt less differences than in the dry, because in the end in the wet you can’t push to the limits like in the dry so it’s more the feeling you have with the bike that allows you to push more. So I think in the wet the new regulations could effect things less than in the dry.”

On the other side of the factory Ducati pitbox, Bulega explained his Friday feelings, stating positively, “I feel good because honestly sometimes on my first day at a new track with this bike it is a bit difficult, like at Most and Donington where I was struggling a little bit more on the first day. Then step-by-step I was getting faster. Today I already started well, because I felt good on the bike from the first laps. So I’m happy and I’ll try to improve again tomorrow.”

Giving his assessment of his potential this weekend at Round 8 of 2024, the 2023 WorldSSP Champion admitted: “Honestly I don’t know. I always try to do my best when I jump on the bike and I go at my maximum so I will try to do the same as I’ve done all year. I’ll try to fight for the podium if I can.”

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