Alvaro Bautista was eliminated from tit🌺le contention in WorldSBK at last weekend’s Estoril Round, but at Jerez this 🥃weekend he returns to a circuit he won at three times in 2023.

Unusually, given Bautista’s status as a two-times WorldSBK Champion, there is perhaps more attention on the side of the factory Ducati box occupied by Nicolo Bulega this weekend, with the Italian still in mathematical 👍title contention.

Bautista ex🌊plained the differences between his previous last-round WorldSB🍃K title decider experience, compared to the scenario faced by his factory Ducati teammate, Nicolo Bulega, this weekend.

“In the past, I was at the final 🌼round with title chances, but I was in a dif♕ferent position,” Bautista said.

“I was leading by a lot of point🐼s, and it was easy to get the title.

“For Nicolo🃏, it’s a different situation. It’s his first year in WorldSBK and he’s second in the championship with a big points dif꧒ference.

“It doesn’t all ღdepend on him; it depends on Toprak’s [Razgatlioglu] res🔯ults.”

Despite his deficit, Bulega sho𓆉uld be “proud” of isꦓ season, Bautista insisted.

“He has to be🦩 proud because, in his f🎐irst year, he got to the last round with some chances,” the reigning champion said.

“On Saturday, if nothi♎ng strange happens, the difference will be too big, and Toprak could be champion.”

Even if there was no direct ‘order’ given by Ducati to Bautista to help Bulega’s points situation in Estoril, Bautista at least took it upon himself to causꩲe minimal problems for his teammate, most notably in Race 2.

In♎ Jerez, it will be a different situation, as Bautista explained.

“Here, I can’t ﷺhelp Bulega,” he said. “At Est💖oril, I could help to not take off more points from Nicolo. Here, I can’t.

“In the same situation as Estoril, I can attack Nicolo because, even if he’s second, he has less chance of the𒐪 title.

“There’s nothing I can do. If we can ꦯfight for the victor﷽y, it’ll be nice. If not, I’ll be happy without it if I can do my best in all races.”