Top ten finish for Alvaro Bautista in Catalunya
The 2017 MotoGP season experienced a change in the script with the Italian and Catalan GP results, and the same rounds in 2018 have provided a similar tale. Jorge Lorenzo is the rider who has emerged as a standout after consecutive wins at Mugello and Montmeló, and has risen from fourteenth to seventh in the space of two races.
He still trails Marc Márquez by 49 points, and it was the reigning World Champion who placed second at the Catalan GP. Joining them on the podium was Valentino Rossi, who is second in the overall standings.
The Comapa Ángel Nieto Team once again had both riders in the points this weekend, for the first time since the Qatar GP. Álvaro Bautista was ninth, gaining thirteen places to repeat the result he took at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago.
He has established improving his qualifying times as a main goal, in order to allow him to fight higher up the order in the race.
9th Álvaro Bautista:
“It was a great comeback, moving up thirteen positions. We knew it was going to be a battle for survival, and that proved to be the case. We started calmly, in order not to heat up the tyres too much. Last year I had trouble finishing the race, but this year with the soft tyre they weren’t too worn down at the chequered flag. I had a good pace; except for when passing other riders I was in the 1:40s. It’s a shame to have started so far back, because if I were to have qualified better on Saturday I could have been with the front group. It is something that we have to improve. I hope to be able to qualify better for the next race. I’m happy with how I felt during the race.”