Despite the 2022 Ducati WorldSBK machine remaining largely the same compared to that of 2019, Alvaro Bautista feels he♓ has a 'more balanced' bike ahead of the new season. 

Bautista, who was third quickest at the recent Portimaꦯo test, was on the newest version of the Panigale V4-R after last riding for Ducati in 2019. 

While 2019 was one of the best individual seasons from a statistical point of view - Bautista won 16 races as a rookie - not to mentᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚion the first 11 in succession, the Spanish rider was left without the title after Jဣonathan Rea produced a brilliant comeback as the campaign went on. 

But having now returned to Ducati with more experience, a better understanding of WorldSBK machinery, and the Bologna-based manufacturer having arguably the most 🔥complete bike on the grid, Bautista could be set to go one better this upcoming season. 

For that to happen, it will take an even bigger effor🎶t than three years ago as Rea and newly-crowned world champion Toprak Raz𒆙gatlioglu are both at the top of their game. 

Having had two tests on the Aruba.it R𓆉acing Ducati so far, Bautista has concluded that no🤪 drastic changes have taken place from the 2019 bike to this year’s, however, the overall base of the Panigale V4-R is 'in the right place' according to the former MotoGP rider. 

"The difference between 2019 and now with the bike… there is no big difference," Bautista told WorldSBK.com. "What I felt is 𝐆that in my first year with this bike, with Ducati, the bike was very strong, but it was not a balanced bike. 

"Sometimes it was very, very fast and worked really well, but sometimes we had a lot of problems. What I found o🏅n my last time with this bike in November was that the bike was more balanced. 

"Maybe the strong points were more or less the same, but also the weaker points were a bit better. They improved and made a m🍌ore balanced bike. I think it’s easier to ride. 

"They worked a lot with the power delivery. Basically, there is no big change on the bike, ꦉbut ev🐼erything is more in the right place."