Alvaro Bautista’ tough start to the 2021 WorldSBK ch🔯a✃mpionship continued on day-one at Donington Park. 

The 2019 series runner-up was two seconds off the fastest times set by Jonathan Rea and𓂃 Garrett Gerloff in FP1 and F𒁏P2. 

Most of Bautista’s issues with the 2021 Honda 𒈔Fireblade have been electronically, but today ‘I have been struggling to f✃eel the tyres’.

"Today was an objectively difficult day and our position reflects this,🦩 because normally we are quite closer to the front group in terms of perf✤ormance," added Bautista. 

"We need to keep working on the set-up because right from the first few laps this morning I have been struggling to 'feel' the tyres. With this problem I can't push hard and exploit the potential of t🧔he🙈 bike. 

"The changes we have tried haven't solved the issue yet, but at least we have done some exploratory wor🦩k and now we will analyse the data and try to find a solution tomoꦛrrow."

Haslam has encountered 𒈔many of the same electronics issues as his Spanish team-mate this season, however, it was a smoother day for the Brit who used his extensive track knowledge from BSB to good effect - finished P8 overall.

Haslam said: "Obviously I know this track very well, which is a benefit. We’ve not been here on the Honda, but my experience with different bikes here means I know where and how the bike sho𓃲uld bꦆe turning and so I think we’ve highlighted a few areas where we need to improve. 

"There’s no one specific thing we need to work on, it’s more a case of putti♔ng it all togeꦜther to find a solid overall package. 

"It’s been a tough day but also a very useful one, a༺nd now we have more ideas as to how to💎 move forward."