Phillip Island WorldSBK: Rea, Toprak: ‘#1 is heavy, pressure’, Bautista: ‘I don’t think I’m the favourite’
Bautista earned the prize by overcoming previous champions Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea to claim Ducati’s first WorldSBK crown sinc🅰e Carlos Checa in 2011.
But as Rea and Razgatlioglu were keen to point out on 🐽the eve of this weekend’s Phillip Island season opener, def✅ending the #1 brings weight and pressure all of its own.
“Alvaro’s a professional guy and managed 2022 very well,” said Rea, who won🀅 six WorldSBK tit⭕les in a row for Kawasaki. “I know from experience that the #1 is heavy; I had a great season in 2015 and then 2016 was a disaster.
“Alvaro’s a lot older than I was and he has a great package, so he shoul🍒d be OK. The expectation is to be there; you’re ‘the guy’ and not the underdog and there’s a feeling that you have to keep𝄹 being there.
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“You’re at the top and the only way is down; that pressure is tough," Rea🍰 added. "It almost becomes about the fear of losing again. Sometimes, it can work for you oꦰr against, but I’m sure he’s got it all sorted.”
Yam෴aha’s Razgatliogl🍒u, who finished between Bautista and Rea in the standings last season, admitted: “Last year, I felt pressure with the #1 but I’m happy to be back with the #54.”
Bautista: ‘Now you are the one to beat’
This week’s Phillip ⭕Island test saw Bautista land the first blow by topping the ti🌃mesheets at a track where he won two of the three races in last year’s season finale.
But the Spaniard knows the #1 makes him the target and insi💦sts he isn’t the favourite going into the new season.
“I don’t think I am the favourite. There ar✤e a lot of very fast riders especially in the Championship," he said.
“I feel like the #1 is a personal motivation, a personal challenge, so I ♛feel strong to defend the꧂ title with the #1.
“Defending the Championship is more difficult. Whe🦂n you are fighting for the Championship, you go to beat the other riders. Now you are the one to beat.”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki 🌠exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
