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The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is a third of the way down after the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round and 2011 Champion Carlos Checa recently reviewed the season so far in an interview at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Spanish rider, who was the last Ducati Champion in WorldSBK before Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)’s success last year, spoke about the 2023 campaign, WorldSBK this season and Bautista’s season so far.

CHECA ON 2023: “It’s very exciting…”

2011 Champion Checa visited the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as he took in the stunning atmosphere and incredible track action in Spain, with the Catalunya Round hosting the fourth round of the 2023 season. He watched Bautista take a hat-trick on home soil as he extended his Championship lead, as well as thrilling fights and dramatic collisions behind him, as well as the other races he has followed from home.

Reflecting on the 2023 campaign so far, Checa said: “I’m feeling very well, I’m enjoying my life and especially the racing from outside. I have the opportunity to be in Barcelona and to follow all the races. I try to see every race. It’s very exciting. I think it’s a very well-balanced sport even if, now, Bautista is taking a clear advantage. I like these kinds of bikes, the programme during the weekend with different classes and I think it’s a good Championship where the performance is increasing every year. Even now, Bautista is one step in front.”

BAUTISTA’S 2023 CAMPAIGN: “It’s a pleasure to watch him riding like that!”

Bautista, in 2022, became the first Ducati Champion in WorldSBK since Checa won the title in 2011 and his form in 2023 so far, with 11 wins from 12 races, has put him in pole position for a second consecutive WorldSBK title. Ducati introduced a new model of the Panigale V4 R in 2023 and Bautista has already ridden it to so much success in four rounds this season and Checa commented on his compatriot’s results this season and how he is getting the most out of the bike.

Checa said: “He’s doing his talking on the track, it’s quite clear. He is a rider who, from the beginning, felt very good with this bike. Even in 2019 when he was leading the Championship and, in the end, he lost it and then moved to Honda. This year, he demonstrated that he’s integrated into this bike perfectly. When he returned last year, he was probably struggling a little bit and he had a clear advantage maybe in acceleration and speed. For me, this year, he made a great evolution because, with his turning and braking, he’s riding even better than his competitors and taking a little bit of advantage under acceleration, but also this is because he’s turning quite well. I saw some races, especially at Assen, where it seems like he’s doing less distance and turning so well with the bike. It’s a pleasure to watch him riding like that.”

WHO JOINS BAUTISTA IN 2024? Checa’s criteria laid out

With Bautista putting talk about his future behind him by signing a new contract with Ducati for 2024, talk about who will join him has started. Current teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, will be aiming to keep the seat for a fourth season in 2024 however several other riders have expressed their desire for a factory seat, including Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). Checa gave his thoughts on who could join Bautista next season and, while he didn’t name any names, did explain the decision-making process.

He said: “All the riders are quite good; this is something related to the team and maybe Alvaro has something to say. Especially the team, or Ducati, will decide which one they prefer. The season is long with many races to come and the riders who take more results from now until the end probably will have a strong reason for the team to decide which one. I don’t know what Ducati’s or the team’s priorities are, the standings should do the talking. But there’s always other conditions, having a teammate that can help Alvaro or not bother him like until now is positive, and also that does good work for the team. But if there’s someone who stands out after Bautista in the standings, I think they will be the chosen one.”

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