Alvaro Baut🌳ista has downplayed his hopes in this weekend’s World Suᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚperbikes opening round.

The WSBK champion arrives at the Phillip Island rou⛦nd af🐭ter battling nerve damage, suffered at the postseason test last year.

The one-day test earlier thi💦s week was Bauti♎sta’s sole opportunity to ride pain-free.

“After the last day of the test, I felt a b𓆏it bette💙r,” he said.

“My physical condition improved a lot from the test before. I am happy. It was the first time in preseason that I could feel the🃏 bike, to tryꦇ to increase performance.

“I don’t feel in my [🐎top shape]. But in my mind, th🀅ere are no worries about pain anymore.

“I can focus on my feeling with the bike.

“For sure, it won’t be an easy weekend for us.

“It’s 𓄧bee✱n a tough winter for me. I worked to recover as soon as possible.

“But it was very slow. I couldn’t train l꧅ike a normal winter.

“We have to accept it.”

Bautista has won two WSBK titles in a row but insists that victory in the first 🍬race of this ꧋title defence is beyond him.

“For sure,ဣ I have no e༺xpectation this weekend,” he said.

“It is a long champions𒊎hip. It is only the first race, we don’t have to be crazy.

“Recover feeling with the bike, that’s it.

“No expectation, no result, no pressure. Ju💫st arrive to our best with “the maximum that we can.”

So, who will win?

Bautista ha✱s seen Jonathan Rea join Yamaha, Nicolo Bulega shine with Ducati, and Toprak Razgatlioglu link up with BMW to renew their ch൲allenges.

“Tests are 𓃲tests, races are races,” Bautista said.

“It’s difficult. The grid of ‘24 is really competitive with a lot of really fast rideﷺrs.

“I won’t bet my money 🍷because anything can🎐 happen…”