Alvaro Bautista labels WorldSBK weight rules “discrimination”

The minimum weight rule introduced by WorldSBK in 2024 has been labeled as “discrimination” by Alvaro Bautista.

40-year-old Bautista won two World Superbike titles aboard a factory Ducati Panigale V4 R in 2022 and 2023, but finished third in the riders’ standings in 2024 and currently sits third, having not won a race so far, in 2025 after six rounds.

During his title winning years on the Ducati, Bautista often had a visible speed advantage over other riders, including other Ducati riders, on the straights. It was this, in combination with his domination of the 2023 season – in which he won 27 of the 36 races – that prompted the introduction of the minimum rider-bike combined weight rule which determines that, for every kilogram a rider and bike are under a minimum weight of 168kg, 0.5kg of ballast weight will be added to their bike.

The intention of the minimum combined weight rule was to prevent riders from being uncompetitive based on their body type, but Bautista is now arguing that the rule actually enforces a discrimination against people with smaller, lighter bodies.

“Today I want to write you something that is not easy for me, but that I think is absolutely necessary,” Alvaro Bautista wrote in a social media post published on Instagram on 1 July.

“Today I speak not only as a pilot, but as a person. As someone who has dedicated his life to this sport, he has trained every day with commitment, discipline and love for the motorcycle.

“But also as someone who has felt in the flesh what it means to be judged and, in a way, penalized not by his performance, nor by his delivery, but by his body. Because of its weight.

“For a long time I've kept quiet. I tried to adapt, to not be uncomfortable, to convince myself that this was part of the game.

“But the truth is that when your physical dimensions become a structural handicap – something that doesn’t reflect your ability as a pilot – that ceases to be a technical issue and becomes a form of discrimination.

“I've felt myself being questioned more, being demanded to justify my place over and over again. Not because I can't be ahead or perform to the fullest, but because my body doesn't fit a physical standard that, though it's not written, we all know.

“I understand that weight is a technical factor in the performance of a motorcycle. I accept it. But when the system fails to contemplate the natural differences between the bodies, it ceases to be fair and begins to exclude.

“That's what I'm talking about today. Not to victimize me. Not to generate division. I speak out because I don't want other riders – present or future – to have to go through what I did. Let them feel that their body is a barrier harder than any curve.”

Bautista’s post concluded by saying he would like the rule to be reconsidered.

“My intention with this message is to open a necessary conversation,” Bautista wrote.

“Ask that we rethink the technical criteria, regulations, and above all, the culture of motorcycling.

“A pilot isn't defined only by the kilos on the scale. He is defined by his intelligence on the track, his instinct, his bravery, and his connection to the bike.

“Thank you for listening. I don't look for applause. Just awareness. And hopefully, a change that makes this sport more fair for all.”