WM leader Alvaro Bautista compares the duels with Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea and recognises a key difference
Ducati factory rider Alvaro Bautista said goodbye to the summer break of the World Superbike Championship as World Championship leader after the weekend in Most (Czech Republic). In the first six events, Bautista collected 290 points and is thus 31 points ahead of record champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) and 38 points ahead of defending champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). The rest of the field is already behind.
In the previous races, Bautista, Rea and Razgatlioglu decided the victories among themselves. At times there was a fierce battle at the front. With the exception of the collision in Assen between Rea and Razgatlioglu, it always ended well.
“Both are very difficult to beat,” notes Bautista. But from Bautista’s point of view, what distinguishes the duels with Rea and Razgatlioglu?
“The difference is that Toprak always tries to overtake when he feels he is faster. At least that’s true for the duel with me,” Bautista notes, adding, “When fighting with Jonathan and Toprak, it’s different because they try to overtake each other in every corner. “
“But when Toprak overtakes me, he usually does so because he is faster. Toprak also always tries to overtake without making mistakes,” said Bautista, praising the Turkish rider’s riding style. “With Jonathan it’s different. He wants to overtake me to keep in front of me. He does that even when he is not faster. He always wants to ride in front of me. “
