Bautista sets new WorldSBK record
Remains undefeated in the 2019 championship after four rounds – the best ever start in the production seriesDespite recent regulation changes, Spaniard Alvaro Bautista continued to dominate the 2019 Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) this past weekend in Assen (April 13-15), white-washing his opposition in Ducati red to win both races and clock up his 10th and 11th consecutive win.
Bautista is now level with reigning world champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) in terms of the most consecutive race wins in WorldSBK history, and no rider has ever dominated the beginning of a season like the former 125 GP word champion.
It also puts Bautista level with Ruben Xaus, Regis Laconi and Stephane Mertens with number of wins in their WorldSBK career. His Assen number 11 gave Ducati its 352nd race win in WorldSBK and the company’s 27th at Assen.
Only two races were held at Assen – and both on Sunday after extremely cold – that is, bouts of snow cold! – and unsafe conditions on Saturday. The sprint race was cancelled.
“I’m very happy because I won two races at a circuit which was maybe not very favourable for us, and where the Kawasakis had always won in the past. The weekend didn’t get off to the best start on Friday, but in any case we managed to be consistent and competitive. Today we did two full-distance 21-lap races and I can tell you that I used up all my energy, but my training helped me a lot," said Bautista.
"In the first race in the morning there were very cold conditions, but I tried to get a good start and set my own pace right from the start. I was able to open up a bit of a gap on my rivals and manage the situation well to go on to win Race 1. In race two to be honest I didn’t expect to see Rea ahead of me at turn four because he was on the third row, but he made an incredible start.
“In the early laps I was taking it easy, trying to stay up and study him well but I could see that his pace was a bit slow so I decided to pass him. I always tried to give my all, in fact we also improved on the circuit record, so it was another wonderful weekend.”
In race one, Bautista defeated Rea, Yamaha riders Michael van der Mark and Alex Lowes, and in race two van der Mark was second from Rea, Lowes and Chaz Davies (Ducati). Van der Mark and Rea collided on the last lap while battling for second, but both remained upright.
After four of 13, Bautista leads on 236pts from Rea (183), Lowes (126), van der Mark (115) and Leon Haslam (Kawasaki, 93).
Round five will be held at Imola in Italy from May 10-12.
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