Alvaro Bautista
World Champion Superbike FIM 2022
Overnight Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) became the 19th World Champion of WorldSBK and the second Spaniard to be crowned WorldSBK Champion after Carlos Checa in 2011; Checa is also Ducati’s last WorldSBK Champion.
Bautista returned to Ducati for the 2022 season after two tough seasons at Honda and did it perfectly, taking his first win of the season in the Tissot Superpole Race at the opening Aragon Round of the season. He also left MotorLand Aragon as the title lead following his Race 2 win.
Rea was able to hit back against Assen but that only lasted for a day as Bautista extended his lead in Race 2 again, with the newly crowned Champion taking the lead from Assen’s Race 2 onwards.
A crash during Race 1 at Donington Park dented Bautista’s lead but he’s back in shape; won 15 podiums in the next 18 races, including a hat-trick at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
A key part of Bautista’s title campaign has been his matches against both Razgatlioglu and Rea, particularly against the 2021 Champions in the Estoril, Portugal and Argentina Rounds.
World Champion Superbike FIM 2022
Bautista began his career in the Spanish Championship from 1995 to 2002. In 2002, he fought for the title until the last race. That same year, he made his debut at the FIM 125cc World Championship as a wildcard.
He became the winner of the 125cc Grand Prix in 2006 at the Spanish GP. With his eighth win that season, he claimed his first world championship title. The Spaniard then moved up to the 250cc class, winning 28 podium positions including 8 championships.
Bautista stepped up to the FIM MotoGP World Championship in 2010. In his eight seasons in MotoGP, he won three podium places and one pole position, with fifth being the best. his in the Championship standings in 2012.
In 2019, Bautista made his WorldSBK debut with Ducati, ending his rookie season with 16 wins, 24 podium positions, 4 mainstay positions and the fastest 15 laps when it came to winning the place. Second place on the Championship standings.
In 2020, he switched to Honda, racing for the HRC Team. In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he won three places on the podium for the Japanese manufacturer before returning to Ducati and Aruba.it Racing – the Ducati team for the 2022 season.
With 14 wins and 29 podiums, Alvaro Bautista became the 2022 WorldSBK Champion in Mandalika.
Bautista becomes the ninth other rider to win the Riders’ championship for Ducati with the Italian manufacturer securing the 15th overall Riders’ championship.
Bautista is the third other rider in three years to claim the crown, as well as coming from a different country third and on a different bike third, underscoring the equal competition in WorldSBK.
The newly crowned WorldSBK champion will stay with Ducati through 2023 and the two will aim to continue to challenge multiple records.
Alvaro Bautista, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati
“Unbelievable, I’m so happy. It’s been a dream come true, especially after the past two years and all the hardships. I want to thank everyone who believed in me, gave me this opportunity to fight for good positions and we won the championship on the first try.
“Today was the first time I felt a bit nervous or stressed, but it was during Race #2 on the grid before kick-off. I tried to manage my emotions and when I first started I made a lot of mistakes because I had too many thoughts in my head! I just want to be second to Toprak, but he is very strong, so I can only follow him. Very happy. It’s hard to know what to say. I’m very happy.
“Throughout the season, I am happy because I have gained a lot of experience from the past. I tried to be the best racer I could, not make mistakes. I think our performance was really, really high. I think I had the best performance ever from Toprak and Jonathan. They performed at a really high level in all the races. I’m lucky I make fewer mistakes than they do. Consistency is also important. I can beat Jonathan, the six-time world champion, and Toprak, the one-time champion, breaking all records in all races, which means the level is very high. We can win with this amazing level.“
Giulio Nava – Captain of Bautista
“We worked really hard for this; this team and Ducati. I have worked with Alvaro for many years and I am delighted to be here with him, watching him achieve these results. It has a lot of meanings. I am very fortunate to work with him. You create a very strong relationship with each other. We joke with each other. Alvaro is like my brother. It’s hard for me to explain what it means, but it means the whole world gets to see him win.“
Luigi Dall’Igna – General manager of Ducati Corse
“It was a great day for us. We’ve worked a lot with Alvaro in the past and in 2019 we did a great job up until mid-season. In the end, we couldn’t win the crown. Today, finally, and it’s a great feeling. It was a special day. This was probably one of the best seasons of his life. This year and 2006, were two really great seasons for him. He won the 125cc world championship in 2006 and today he won the WorldSBK. He’s a really great racer and I’m really, really happy that he was able to get the title today..”
Stefano Cecconi – Team Leader Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“It is not easy to describe the satisfaction with this result. I’m happy for Alvaro, for the team and for everyone who works for Aruba and Ducati, both on the track and at the Borgo Panigale. Thanks to their commitment we are able to celebrate this extraordinary milestone today and it is an honor for me to be their representative.
“We achieved the results we set out for in 2015 and I’m glad we achieved this goal by beating a very tall opponent: Johnny, who dominated for 6 years, and Toprak , the defending champion also this weekend proved his class. Now is not the time to lower our guard, because our next goal is to win the manufacturer title, as the cooperation between Aruba and Ducati goes beyond a business partnership. . We share the same values, expectations, research, innovation and many other key factors that drive results year after year. We come to Australia with enthusiasm and ambition to win the title of ‘team’, to end a great season in the best way.“.
Claudio Domenicali – CEO Ducati
“Today, Ducati is also at the top of the world in Superbikes, with the incredible title going to Alvaro Bautista. Together with the MotoGP title (125 cc), this victory marks a historic result and the culmination of a magical and unforgettable season that will live on forever in our company’s story and in our hearts. of all Ducatisti.
“Winning both titles in the same year as MotoGP and SBK has never happened before. It is a well-deserved reward for the utmost efforts we have put in in both championships, which are the foundation of Ducati’s sporting prowess. We have been participating in this championship since it first held in 1988 and year after year we have been the winning team in this category.
“Consistency in results, our partner Aruba.it’s hallmark of innovation. Alvaro’s high determination and maturity, Panigale V4R’s extraordinary technological potential: thanks to all these factors, we were able to achieve our goal of 15th championship and take home the title. racer for Borgo Panigale.
“Those results also add value to knowledge sharing in the racing world for product development, to deliver the highest technology and bring the best emotions to the fans, the our enthusiasts and customers alike.
“Thanks to Alvaro and everyone who has contributed to this memorable result, starting with Stefano Cecconi, Aruba CEO and Aruba.it Racing-Ducati Team Principal, who have stood side by side. us with great passion for many years.
“Thanks also to Gigi and Paolo, Serafino and Daniele. Thanks to all the girls and boys of Ducati Corse and Ducati R&D, who are always ready to make in the production process everything necessary for the races, as in the case of the all-new Panigale V4R, that will be the basis for the bicycle SBK 2023e”.
Alvaro Bautista will race this weekend at Phillip Island in the final round of the 2022 FIM Supermoto World Championship, combined with the penultimate round of the Australian Superbike Championship.
