New rules in Superbikes will be a challenge for Álvaro Bautista and Ducati, believes Dani Pedrosa: ‘Let’s see how he performs’

The year 2024 brings news in the World Superbike Championship with the introduction of rules dictating a minimum weight in the bike/rider combination, something that is expected to be a novelty that did not affect champion Álvaro Bautista until now. Dani Pedrosa admits to being curious to see how his compatriot will react, as well as Ducati itself.

‘Álvaro will have to ride a heavier bike than usual; we will see how he performs on the track. I think the engine is strong, but at the same time, when the rules change so drastically, with added weight, that will play an important role’, said the KTM MotoGP test rider, also mentioning the additional work that Ducati, which has dominated the category for two years, will have to do:

– Let’s see how Ducati manages to make the bike work as well as before.

Bautista is one of the smallest and lightest riders in the Superbikes paddock – 1.69m and 60kg – and many attribute his stature to the success that the Italian manufacturer has had in the last two years.