Alvaro Bautista enjoys his fourth place at the end of the free practice in Aragon and also the top speed of his CBR-RR. “Especially in the morning!” he smiles because he knows that he has reached almost 319 km / h on the straight. Despite this record, the Spaniard knows that races are not (only) won on the straight and would like to keep his feet firmly anchored in the ground.
“During the winter, due to my physical condition, we struggled to complete all the planned work and today I wanted to try the new Pirelli front tire, I did it in the morning and was happy – he said of his time – it has many advantages, especially in terms of stability I think. We also made some adjustments to the electronics to better suit track conditions, a little cooler than our tests a few weeks ago, and the feel of the bike was good. Conditions were normal, but in the afternoon, with 48 degrees on the asphalt, everything that worked in the morning was a disaster. I did some tire comparisons and felt a small improvement in the front with the new one, while feeling better in the rear with the SCX like last year, even if you can feel the drop in the heat. We also worked on the electronics and made changes that allowed me to be more consistent. In general, I’m quite happy with this first day, but there is still a lot to be done to be really competitive. “
At what point is the Honda development?
“I think we are at 70% of what I expect So we still have 30% left, but when you feel better, you always want more. “
Last year you stood on the podium for the first time with the CBR-RR …
“I think it will be more difficult this season because there are more drivers at the same level, so more rivals for the podium. With the bike we have, I hope to have the opportunity to be with them, that’s our goal, we’ll see it can be done tomorrow. We may have a hard time on the flying lap, but I have good pace. It also looks like it’s getting cooler and I think it will be better for everyone ”.
You recently stated that you volunteered for HRC for MotoGP last year …
“I offered myself to HRC when they needed my help to do some tests or races. I would have loved to do it. You thanked me, but They preferred to avoid the risk of injury, the SBK project is very important to them, they want to win and have their rider in perfect shape ”.
So Bradl’s place is safe …
“Stefan knows the Honda very well, he was the driver in the world who drove the most kilometers last year (laughs). I understand them and at the same time have made myself available for the future. “
Have you seen the French GP?
“Le Mans is a complicated track and the Hondas had big problems. I’ve seen Marquez with great potential but the conditions have been difficult and he has to keep calm.
Audio recording by Riccardo Guglielmetti