Garrett Gerloff’s recent WorldSBK form reached a new peak at Aragon, with the American rider finishing o𒁏n the podium in Race 1, beating reigning champion Alvaro Bautista, and taking two top-five finishes on Sunday.

Gerlꦦoff was anticipa✃ting a return to the rostrum once more on Sunday, but the top three riders — Bautista, Toprak Razgatlioglu, and Nicolo Bulega — took a step forward, the American said.

“I was really happy with the pace that I had,” Gerloff told WorldSBK.com. “I didn’t realise how fast they were ⛎going up at the front, which was even faster.

“I was happy to be doing 1:48s on the race tyre and, in general, I felt like 🅺I had a really good bike underneath me.

“I had a cou⛄ple of🦄 issues pop up but nothing major. I gave it all I had so I can be happy.”

After a podium finish and three top fives in Aragon, Gerloff dec෴lared the round as “probably the best weekend I’ve had in a really long time. That’s someth♋ing super positive.

“I’m a bit disappointed as I thought I’d have a bit more pace in Race 2 toꦫ be able to stay in third. As soon as I got to third, I just, for some reason, lacked a bit of pace.

“Props to ♔Nicolo [Bulega] and also Alvaro [Bautista] and Toprak [Razgatlioglu🀅]. They had super-fast pace.”

Gerloff had battled with Race 1 winner Andrea Iannone for fourth in the closiꦬng stages of Race 2, but missed out with a late mistake.

“I did everything that I could, I made a lunge on [Andrea] Iannone on t🐷he last lap,” he said. “I missed the shift so that didn’t help me at all! I was pushing the front but couldn’t stop.

“All in all, to be top five ꦿall weekend except for Superpole was pretty good.”

The Aragon Round was a continuation of strong form for Gerlofꦛf that goes back to Magny-Cours, where he was on the podium 𒁃in Race 2.

“I think eve💫rything just stayed pretty consistent in the last🌞 few weekends,” Gerloff reflected.

“We h⛦aven🧔’t been chasing our tail, we’ve been in a similar ballpark of setting and electronics. It’s been easier for me to push a bit closer to the limit and not feel like I’m riding over the limit. That’s been something nice.

“That’s all I really need, for the bike to be predictable,ꩵ and I can try to ride a bit beyond it.

“I’ve felt pretty good all year on the bike, riding, I just haven’t had any lap time. For whaღtever reason, it’s been sorted out in the last few weekends, and it’s just come togethe༒r.

“It’s la🎃te, which is annoying, but I’ve known I’ve got pace as a rider, I’ve got a good team and a g♐ood bike.”