The future of Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has been spoken about for months, and at Most, the #1 made it clear that he wanted to stay. Heading into the Pirelli Portuguese Round, WorldSBK commentator Steve English speaks about the story of Bautista’s decision, and how the Ducati-Bautista partnership could still be a force to be reckoned with…

THE BACKGROUND: from doubts in the media to clarity

“Honestly,” said Bautista before pausing. “I want to continue.” After a disastrous Sunday at the Autodrom Most, it was a statement that was met with a gasp. Bautista might want to stay but the question quickly became how much does he want to give up to remain with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team.

Earlier in the weekend at the Czech Round, the double WorldSBK Champion admitted that the offer on the table was very different to what he was demanding. A middle ground might well have been found because the rumour in the paddock is that it looks increasingly likely that Bautista will remain in red.

BAUTISTA’S GOAL: a return to winning ways

It would have been easy for the Spaniard to rest on his laurels and call time on a great career. A 125cc World Championship title, two WorldSBK crowns, 16 Grand Prix victories and 61 WorldSBK wins. With the tide having risen towards BMW and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), this was a suitable time to bow out. The low tide for Bautista has revealed his Champion’s mentality. He won’t go quietly and sneak into the shadows with his tail between his legs. He wants to fight. He wants to prove himself. He wants to get back to winning races.

DUCATI’S DECISION: aiming to find potential and performance for next year

While it looks likely that Ducati and Bautista will agree to an extended future together, we can also make no mistake that they looked elsewhere. Bautista was always “Plan A” for Team Principal Stefano Cecconi; he had to have been looking at alternatives too. The other riders weren’t needed and Ducati and now Bautista looks to have the opportunity to steady the ship in 2024 and make a title assault next year.

By that point, Bautista will be 40 years old. Only Max Biaggi has won a title beyond the threshold of 40. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Bautista could join him, but changes will need to be made. The Panigale V4 R is nearing the end of life before a model will be introduced in 2026 so how much more potential and performance can they find?

2024 SUMMED UP: Bulega impresses with consistency, Bautista a mixed year

Bautista has clearly been hampered by the weight limits for this year. His race times are close to last year’s whereas the switch to BMW has invigorated Toprak and he has pushed the boundaries of race times in WorldSBK. Ducati agreed to the weight limit because they felt the extra 500rpm would overcome the disadvantage. It hasn’t worked out that way for Bautista.

While Nicolo Bulega has impressed everyone with his consistency this year, Bautista has looked more like the rookie rider. Crashes and mistakes have blotted his copy book to such an extent that the question in recent rounds was actually whether Ducati still needed Bautista. There was a feeling that Bulega’s performances warranted the Italian being made into a genuine title contender for 2025. That might still happen but with just one race win, regardless of his 11 podiums from 18 races and sitting second in the standings, it would’ve been a brave move by Ducati to put their eggs into the Bulega basket. Retaining Bautista makes the most sense for Ducati and staying in red makes the most sense for the rider too.

DUCATI’S SITUATION: a strong package for Bautista…

Ducati has four riders inside the top eight in the Championship. Their bike is still, arguably, the best package on the grid. Toprak is making the difference for BMW at the moment, but Ducati can point to three different winners, five riders leading races and 27 podium finishes for their bike to prove its credentials.

Ducati and Bautista are both out to prove a point. If they remain together, it’s because they both know that the easiest way to win again is to win together. This will likely be the final contract of Bautista’s career and if he’s left money at the negotiating table it should be all the proof Ducati needs of his desire to win again.

Watch every moment from Portimao in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!