Alvaro Bautista Treats MotoGP Racing Longing Through Wildcard At Sepang Circuit

Aruba Ducati's driver, Alvaro Bautista. (Photo: Twitter/@ArubaRacing)

JAKARTA - The racer of the World Superbike (WSBK), Alvaro Bautista, will treat his longing to appear in MotoGP. He will pave the way at the Sepang Circuit, Malaysia, through wildcard rations.

The Malaysian GP will be the 18th series of the 2023 season which will take place from November 10 to 12. Bautista will be directly involved in this event and fly to Sepang two weeks after the close of the 2023 WSBK season in Jerez, Spain, at the end of October.

Bautista's involvement in the MotoGP event through his status as a wildcard racer will also mark the first time Bautista has returned to the MotoGP paddock since it last appeared in 2018.

For this opportunity, Bautista admitted that he was happy and looking forward to the return of the Sepang Circuit, which did save the moment for him.

"I am very happy to be racing in MotoGP as a wildcard in Sepang, a track I really like and I am happy to be back because (coinciding) the WSBK calendar (is also over)," Bautista said as quoted from the WSBK's official statement, Monday, August 14.

In preparation, Bautista has even participated in several Ducati Desmosedici GP motorcycle trials. As a result, Bautista said that so far he had been able to enjoy and have fun while riding the motorbike.

However, Bautista revealed that he did not have a specific target with his wildcard status for the Sepang race. For him, the opportunity to return to the track with other MotoGP riders next November is a gift.

"I want to say that this MotoGP race will be a bonus for me and not a priority. That's why we have to stay focused on the WSBK Championships, which is the only thing that matters now," Bautista said.

In the WSBK class, Bautista is battling a title defense this season with a total of 18 wins. This achievement is a new winning record in one season.

Bautista also collected 21 podiums from 24 races, three pole positions and still firmly standing at the top of the standings.