The year 2024 brings new developments in the World Superbike Championship with the introduction of rules dictating minimum weight in the motorbike/rider combination, in what is expected to be a novelty that until now didn’t affect champion Alvaro Bautista. Dani Pedrosa admits he’s curious to see how his compatriot will react, as well as Ducati itself.
‘Alvaro will have to ride a heavier bike than usual; we’ll see how he performs on the track. I think the engine is strong, but at the same time, when you change the rules so drastically, with the added weight, that’s going to play an important role’ said the KTM MotoGP test rider, without forgetting the extra work that Ducati itself, which has dominated the category for two years, will have to do:
– Let’s see how Ducati can make the bike work as well as before.
Bautista is one of the shortest and lightest riders in the Superbike paddock – 1.69m and 60kg – and many associate his stature with the success the italian manufacturer has enjoyed over the last two years.