Bautista signs off from 2013 with another great race: “Tomorrow we start working on the future”

Alvaro Bautista saved his best start of the season for the final race at Valencia today, giving himself the opportunity to run with the front pack and even make a challenge for the podium positions.

However, Alvaro was careful not to cause any problems for the two riders fighting for the championship and in the end as his tyre performance dropped off he rode an intelligent race to pick up another top five finish and end the championship on a positive note.

Alvaro Bautista (5th) “It hasn’t been an easy weekend, because we have had some problems with the set-up of the bike here. We have continued to work on making small changes to try and improve it for the race and after getting probably my best start of the year I was able to stick with the front guys for the first few laps. Lorenzo was slowing the pace down at the front and that gave me a chance to run with the guys at the front and I was in a position to make an attack, but the last thing I wanted to do was get involved with the two guys who were fighting for the title. Once the soft tyre dropped off I lost a little ground, but I am happy, because we have finished the championship in sixth place overall as the second best non-factory bike. I want to thank everybody in the team, Showa, Nissin, Honda and GO & FUN. Tomorrow we start working on the future.”

Fausto Gresini “We have finished the season in a positive way with another fifth place for Bautista, which was well deserved. He was one of the star performers of the day, chasing the front group hard throughout the race and proving that we are not far from their level. We have done a great job in the second half of this season and I am really happy about that. I want to say a huge thank you to Alvaro and the whole team, Honda for giving us a great bike, and Showa and Nissin for their great work – as well as GO & FUN and all our other partners that have supported us and believed in us.”

Source: Gresini Racing