“Small changes” help Alvaro Bautista to Jerez WorldSBK podium challenge

Alvaro Bautista’s form has largely deserted him in 2026, but after a decent Estoril he was back in the top-six again in Race 1 at the Jerez WorldSBK.

Bautista could’ve been on the podium in WorldSBK Race 2 at Estoril without a crash late on, and the same could be argued in Race 1 at Jerez – although it was Bautista’s starting position that held him back in this case, rather than a crash.

The Spaniard admitted after the race that he didn’t feel good with the SCQ tyre in Superpole which left him ninth on the grid for Race 1 – still his best qualifying since Balaton Park.

In the race itself, he was happy with how he progressed through the field, even if there was no podium as a reward.

“I was very close to the podium, just one position,” Alvaro Bautista told WorldSBK.com after Race 1 in Jerez.

“But in any case I’m really happy with the performance because the feeling with the bike was very good. 

“Today we changed some small details to improve and already in FP3 I felt quite good with the bike. 

“In Superpole, when I used the SCQ tyre – that was the first time because in the morning I didn’t try – I noticed that the bike started to have very aggressive vibration and it was a bit difficult to ride. But in any case, I managed to at least start from the third row of the grid. 

“I was more confident about the race pace. I did a normal start, but in the first laps I lost a lot because with the inertia of the bike it seems like I’m riding a truck! So, it’s not easy and I tried to survive in the first laps. 

“Then, lap-after-lap, I can ride the bike a bit better and I can get my pace. I started to overtake other riders and I enjoyed a lot. 

“I think I was the rider who passed more riders today in the race – at least in the front. 

“So, I think the emotion of the race was in this fight, in my comeback. 

“So, I’m happy with the feeling, I’m happy with the result, and just we try to keep this feeling for tomorrow.”