Alvaro Bautista: “2009 was a Strange Season.”
Originally written in German by Maximilian Kroiss and translated very poorly by Dave
Spain’s Alvaro Bautista is convinced his move to the 800cc class came at the right time.
Since Suzuki has no satellite squads, Alvaro Bautista will start immediately with a factory ride in MotoGP
After three less-than-successful attempts at a 250cc world title, 2006 125cc champion Alvaro Bautista is making his move to MotoGP’s Rizla Suzuki factory team. Before the season starts; however, the 25-year-old, eight-time 250cc race winner and his MotoGP classmates head to the highly anticipated pre-season test at Sepang.
“The 2009 season was extremely difficult for me,” said the new Suzuki factory rider. “I was pretty confident at the start of the season. Positive results came right away, and I felt very comfortable with my machine. But the crash at Assen cost us important points, and I was unable to come back as a result.”
As the season progressed, Bautista found himself faltering in practice and qualifying as well as during the races. “In some races, I had to risk even more [to get to the front] because the other riders had qualified so well.” For the last four grands prix, Bautista mounted a final attack. ”When we arrived in Portugal in early October after the long break, I prepared myself to go on the offensive,” says the young man from Talavera de la Reina, near the Spanish capital of Madrid.
“I did very well in Estoril, Sepang and Phillip Island – races where I like the circuits very much – but the technical malfunction in Portugal probably thwarted my last chance to win the title,” continues Bautista. “I was very annoyed because I was very fast the entire weekend in Estoril. After that race, there was only one option for me: I would have to win all remaining races. But in the next race I wanted too much. After the slip in Australia, I still finished tenth, but by the Sepang race, I knew my season was over. The 2009 season was very strange for me! ”
In both of the past two seasons, Bautista finished second in the points standings, first to Marco Simoncelli in 2008 and then to Hiroshi Aoyama last year. ”Even at the start of the 2008 season, I was fixated on winning the championship,” he says “Although the opening few races of the season went disastrously [with a series of crashes and mechanical failures], in the closing races, I stood on the podium.” (Alvaro’s podium streak lasted from Catalunya to Malaysia, but he was already too far back in the points race to catch Simoncelli).
“In 2009, we thought if we approach the season calmly and regularly finish near the top, nothing should really go wrong. But at mid-season, the conditions had changed. Sometimes it was really hard for us to fight for the win, since we had come with the bike noticeably in trouble and I lacked the confidence I had at the beginning of the season. I also lacked confidence in the bike, especially since we were having problems getting it set up correctly. ”
The reasons for the set-up problems, Bautista believes, were the constant changes within his mechanical crew. “Every year in the 250cc class, I had a different crew,” he said. ”In 2007, I worked with my team from previous years, but before the 2008 season my team was completely changed and again at the beginning of last season. It’s not necessary to have every team member back again, but it takes some time before everything begins to come together. ”
Bautista became accustomed to the Suzuki during testing at Estoril
Bautista is full of emotional turns, but he quickly cheers up when asked about his first impressions with the factory Suzuki GSV-R after the tests last November in Valencia and Estoril. “I am very happy about my move to MotoGP. It’s exactly the right time for me. Riding the current generation of MotoGP machine is comparatively easier than the 250cc. At first go I had a good feel for the machine. Also, turning into the corners is much easier than with a 250 motorcycle. ”
The Iberian is most impressed with the bike’s traction control. “Even in the 250s, we had electronic riding aids. But, compared to MotoGP, that system offered little help. When you rolled the throttle, the bike would slide wildly. The MotoGP bike almost runs by itself; it’s just unbelievable: Twist the throttle and ‘wrrrrrr,’ the bike takes full control on the exit! ”
If you have any corrections or comments about my translation capabilities (that means you, David Emmett), please include them in the Comments section. Thanks.
Motourage Online