ALCANIZ, Spain – Álvaro Bautista just continues to rack up victories to start the World Superbike season.
Bautista claimed his ninth straight race win to open the year on Sunday, tying 2003 World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson in doing so and also giving Ducati its 350th World Superbike win as a manufacturer.
The undefeated championship leader beat Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea to turn one from the pole and never looked back, pulling away to an easy victory once again.
“It has been an extraordinary weekend for me. Winning three races here in Spain in front of my family, my friends and the Spanish fans was really great,” said the 34-year-old Bautista. “In all three, I was able to make my own strategy, that is get a fast start and maintain my own pace. For sure the conditions in the three races were different, especially today in the Superpole race, which took place in the morning when it was very cold. Luckily it got a bit warmer for race two, but you could really feel the wind.
“Despite all this, I was able to stay focused, understand the situation on the track and push hard all the way, he added. “In the end we have won nine races out of nine and I’m so happy about that. The team has done an incredible job, we are on the right path and I’d like to thank Aruba, Ducati and my team. Tthe congratulations should also go to them.”
Rea came home second for the ninth time this year, followed by Bautista’s teammate Chaz Davies, Leon Haslam and Alex Lowes. Eugene Laverty crossed sixth.