Alvaro Bautista Interview With Soymotero.net

Another postseason interview with Alvaro has just been published by soymotero.net. They sat down with Alvaro after his visit to the Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos in Toledo earlier this month (we reported) and tried to get a little preview for next season.
Let’s risk a look into the future.

Alvaro, after the tests in Valencia and Portugal, how do you see the adaptation to the GSV-R?
To be honest, very good. From the beginning it felt easier than I had thought. Of course once you arrive at the limits it will be harder to improve from there, but it felt like a very different bike, more bike than the 250s. All the electronics, the brakes and above all the power when you come out of a curve… it is difficult to control it, but frankly I had a very good feeling with the bike and I am very satisfied, because every time I rode it I improved and every time I was able to control it a little better.

Some riders like Vermeulen have commented that Suzuki has a problem with power compared to the rest of the field. Do you think that this point will be solved for 2010?
Man, I do not know. For me it has too much power right now, but there will come the moment when I need more. Right now I am on a level where I still haven’t reached the limits, neither with the engine nor with the chassis or anything else, so at this moment it is difficult to me to think about that.

So far everything has been new for you. Regarding the tyres, one of the most important aspects for the Suzuki, what is your impression with the change from Dunlop, with which you have always competed, to Bridgestone?*
They are a little different, it is the same tire for everyone and each bike works different. What has surprised me the most were the first laps, because they have very little grip with the cold rubber and you must ride carefully, but once they are warmed up it is impressive how much you can lean in and how fast you can enter a curve, but at the beginning you really have to be very careful until they are warmed up.

What about the physical aspect? Do you think that you will need a special training to adapt to MotoGP?
I was surprised about that, because when I moved from 125cc to 250cc I noticed that I needed more strength because the bike was heavier and it was harder for me to move it. But when I changed to MotoGP you won’t believe it, I didn’t notice much difference compared to 250cc. Regarding the physical level I think that it is going to be more or less the same work as with 250cc, there is not so much more strength needed to ride this bike.

I imagine that besides the tests your great day will be April 11th in Qatar, it’s already soon, but what will Alvaro Bautista feel in his first MotoGP race?
It’s still a long time, I must learn a lot about the bike and find all the limits, there’s everything to learn. In the first race we will see what happens at the start, the first curve, the first laps with all the people of MotoGP… In the end it’s a race just as in 125cc or 250cc. I don’t know what I will feel at the start of the race or even the first laps until you find your place, because quickly enough you’ve done several laps and are in your spot, but at the beginning…

What goals do you have for your first season in MotoGP?
We have to see what level I can reach with this bike, but above all I think the main goal is to enjoy myself. I want to ride the bike as I did in 125cc or 250cc where I had a lot of fun and it was all in my hands; from there we will see what results I’ll be able to achive. Of course I will give one hundred percent and it is a learning year, because at all the circuits I have to find new references and everything will be new for me; also the team is new and I need to get more kilometers on this bike and with this team to see where we can go.

Now that you have ended a chapter of your career, what balance can you draw about your time with the Aspar Team?
The most important at a professional level was the 125cc world title. But overall I valued that in the four years I have been with them we were always fighting at the front, we won races, we had a lot of podiums, we fought for the championship and that is the important thing, the good moments we had.

And on a personal level, what feeling do you take with you?
At a personal level I think that it is a fantastic team. From the first day that I met the team they tried to take me in as one more, I got along brilliantly with the mechanics who were not only my mechanics, but also my friends. To be honest I am enchanted with that team, because they have helped me a lot. Also of course Jorge, I only have good things to say about them.

Interview and pictures by soymotero.net
Translation by the crew of www.alvarobautista.co.uk & www.batifans.com