Alvaro Bautista has declared he made the “right decision” by sitting behindꦬ his teammate, Nicolo Bulega, in WorldSBK Race 2 at the Estoril World Superbike round.

Bautista started Race 2 in third place having recovered from 11th on the grid — and a start that left him 13th after the first few corners — in the Superpo🧸le Race to climb onto the podium in th🎃e 10-lapper.

“In the Superpole Race I could make a really good co🍎meba𝄹ck from 11th position,” Bautista told WorldSBK.com.

𓃲“I was really happy because I felt strong, Nicolo [Bulega] and Toprak [R🐼azgatlioglu] had better pace than me and I finished in third position.”

Race 2, though, ended up presenting a d🔥ifferent scenario for Bautista, who sat behind his teammate, Bulega, for the whole second half of the race.

“In Race 2, in the last few laps, I had something more, maybe🍰 attack for second position but at the end he [Bulega] has a chance, a very small chance, to fight for the title,” Bautista exp𓃲lained.

“So as a team, I think it was better to stay inಌ third. I am proud about this manoeuvre as it is not easy for a rider to not try and gain any position.”

Bautista ℱexplained th🐼at, although he felt he had potential to pass Bulega, it was the “right decision” to stay behind.

“Behind Nicolo especially in the last three laps I felt I co🌸uld brake harder than him and he was stopping me in some areas,” Bautista said.

“But in some places, I can attack him. I felt I could attack 𒉰for second, but I think it wa🐭s correct to let him finish second and not lose a lot of points to Toprak and let's see what happens in Jerez.

“You never know what happens in the future but in this moment, I t♔hink it was the right decision, I did it. If 🔴I can help somebody, I still help.

“It's strange because normally it's not in my mentality, I want to get the maximum ꦬin all the situati𒅌on but today was like this.

“I think it has been the first time in all my carไeer that I do this but there is always a first time for everything.”

With the final round, the WorldSBK Spanish R🎐ound, coming up this weekend in Jerezꦯ, Bautista said that he will continue to help Bulega in race situations should the need arise.

“I will do my best,” Bautista said, in view of Jerez. ♈“If in a race situation I can help Nicolo, I will do, but right now there is noꦐ sense to speak about Jerez because we have to start with [Friday practice].”

<H2>Ducati “didn’t show a team order”

Team manager of the Aruba.it Rac🐻i𒅌ng Ducati team, Serafino Foti, said that there was no team order given to Bautista in the race.

“To be honest, 𒐪we didn't show a team order because Alvaro was smart🐭,” Foti told WorldSBK.com.

“He worked for the team as a teammate. So, in this cas👍e 𝔉today, he was also World Champion.”