It’s been an extraordinary Saturday for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team as Alvaro Bautista triumphed in Race-1, conquering his twelfth win of the season, and Michael Rinaldi climbed on the second step of the podium. It was a fantastic one-two on the day that Ducati payed homage to its history in racing with a special livery that features the return of the Ducati Yellow. The colour dates back to the first half of the 1970s but reached its greatest popularity in the 1990s.
Bautista, who started from pole position, took the lead at the first corner. His race pace was dominant, and after two laps, he could already create a gap that allowed him to manage the race until the chequered flag.
Starting from third position, Rinaldi immediately moved into second place. The Italian rider was the protagonist of a spectacular first lap in which he defended himself brilliantly against the attacks of Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). Rinaldi’s race pace was also incisive and allowed him to control second position easily.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #1)
“First and second in our home race! It was a perfect Saturday for Ducati and the team, and I am pleased about it. It was scorching, but despite that, I got positive feedback from the bike. The feeling was incredible, allowing me to have a consistent and fast pace from the very first lap. From the outside, it may look easy, but in reality, I had to push as hard as I could to create the gap between the rest of the rivals. I really enjoyed every lap and every corner, and I hope I can continue like that tomorrow”.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“It was a positive day for me, but above all, for the team with Alvaro’s win and my second place. In front of our fans, it was important to get a good result, and it was really great. We raced in a special yellow livery, which brought us luck! I am satisfied with my performance: I didn’t expect to be able to sustain such a pace for more than half the race. Alvaro really made the difference: he is riding the bike in a unique way right now, and he deserved the win. Now we’ll look at the data and try to take a step forward. The goal is to try to close the gap that separates us from him and try to fight for the win.”
WorldSSP
Nicolò Bulega took a fantastic pole position, setting a new circuit record, but, in the race, his start was not effective. After finding himself in fourth place halfway through the first lap, the Italian rider reacted extraordinarily. He regained first position midway through the second lap and then dominated all the way to the chequered flag.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11)
“I am very happy. I had never won a home race before, and to do it was great in front of all this crowd! It’s another win that is certainly important for the championship, but it’s still early to think about it. Now I just think race by race. I thank the team because the bike was really nice to ride today, and I had a lot of fun. I hope I can continue like this tomorrow!”
- From Ducati Media House
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