Bautista: “Many people are creating really high expectations” for MotoGP return

Alvaro Bautista says expectations placed upon him for this weekend’s Malaysian MotoGP will be the ‘biggest challenge’.

09 Nov 2023

Alvaro Bautista, Ducati MotoGP Misano test 2023

The two-time WorldSBK champion is making his return to MotoGP with a wildcard appearance at Sepang.

After clinching his second Superbike title with victory in Race 1 of the season-finale at Jerez, Bautista's return to MotoGP action comes with very little pressure, despite high expectations being set by others.

Previewing his return to MotoGP, Bautista said this about the biggest challenge he will face: “I think the biggest challenge is maybe to keep the other people calm who maybe think I can win or get a podium because many people are creating a lot of really high expectations!

“Keep calm and there’s no pressure on me to have a good result or try to repeat like other riders in the past did. This is the case, and I will try to have some fun.

“It’ll be important to find a good setup with the bike and to give my best. I think this will be the biggest challenge because we don’t have a lot of time, we have two Free Practices and there’s not too much time to get a good feeling.

“If I can finish the weekend better than I started, it’ll be nice. If I feel that I give my best and I have a good feeling with the bike, I finish the race saying, ‘this was the best performance I can do with the time we had during the weekend’.”

Bautista has already stepped onto the latest MotoGP machinery after conducting a private test at Misano earlier this year.

Bautista was very quick and knows that Sepang provides a good opportunity given the long straights.

“I’m so happy to defend the title with the #1 but now we are in MotoGP for this weekend,” added Bautista. “I’m so excited to race here at Sepang. It’s one of my favourite tracks and I miss this track.

“It’ll be really nice to come back and do laps with the MotoGP bike. To race again in MotoGP will be nice, especially with this new format with the Sprint on Saturday and then the race on Sunday.

“I don’t have any expectations about the result because the level of the category is so high and so close.

“Even if you are not so far away with the lap time, in positions you are a bit far.

“For me, the target is trying to find good confidence with the bike, try to enjoy and do a weekend from less to more. The main thing is trying to have fun and try to do my best.”