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Alvaro Bautista was a constant presence for a long time in the world championship, in all three categories, winning the 125cc world title in 2006 with Aprilia. In 250 he was less fortunate, but he still won 8 Grands Prix, getting on the podium 28 times and finishing runner-up in the world championship in 2008, behind Marco Simoncelli.
A good career, therefore, which didn't stop in MotoGP, where Alvaro scored three third places, in 2012 and 2014, always with Honda, but Bautista rode for Suzuki, Honda, Aprilia and finally Ducati in the top category. In particular, with the factory red bike, the 2022 Superbike world champion arrived one step away from the podium at Phillip Island, in 2017, when he stood in for Jorge Lorenzo.
With a fifth place overall in the category in 2012 as his best result, Bautista expressed his desire to test the Desmosedici at the Ducati party.
“I spoke about it with Gigi Dall'Igna and Claudio Domenicali: I'd like to do a few laps on a MotoGP bike. It's been quite some time since I last rode a MotoGP bike and I miss that feeling of power, the deceleration of the carbon brakes and the stability of the prototypes. As I said: the Superbike pumps and moves, it dances. And you have to dance with it. MotoGP offers a completely different riding sensation."
The thought of those present immediately brought to mind Troy Bayliss' winning debut (which after all was not an absolute debut) at Valencia in 2006. That veni-vidi-vici after the SBK world title, but actually Alvaro Bautista doesn't want a real wildcard for a MotoGP Grand Prix: organizing a real test would be enough for him. He wants to shape up to the current riders against the clock, not fight them in the races.
"Yes, that’s it. The current Ducati GP22 looks a lot of fun from the outside. I'd like to do a test, just for fun, but a wildcard is secondary - said Bautista - I'd just like to experience the sensations that a MotoGP bike gives you. It would be very nice".
Alvaro's desire was even supported in Bologna by Francesco Bagnaia.
"You won a world championship for Ducati, in my opinion they won't deny you this desire - said Pecco, who added - mine is to participate in the Suzuka 8 Hours, perhaps even with Bautista as a teammate".
It is likely that Ducati will decide, in 2023, to fulfil Alvaro Bautista's wish. For Bagnaia's, however, we will have to wait at least for 2024.
