Bautista promises quick decision on future as retirement talk swirls

After returning to the Ducati fold last year following a two-year spell at Honda, Bautista stormed to a first WSBK crown with 16 wins, 13 of which came in full-length races.

The Spaniard has made a dominant start to his title defence with eight wins from the opening nine races, with a clean sweep of the six full races. He already leads nearest rival Toprak Razgatlioglu by 56 points, having beaten the Yamaha rider by 72 points last year.

Bautista’s contract with Ducati expires at the end of 2023, and it is unclear if he will choose to continue racing beyond the end of the season. 

Paddock rumour suggests that an announcement on the 38-year-old’s future could be made as early as his home WSBK round in Barcelona on May 5-7.

Addressing the topic in Assen last weekend, Bautista said: ”We’ll see. Before the season started I said I would make a decision after the third race weekend and that’s where we are now. 

“I will be at home with my family and my daughter for a week and a half, and I will ask them what they think. My daughter is growing up now and she understands that daddy is not at home because he is travelling the world. It’s not easy.”

 

Bautista earned a clean sweep of victories in Assen, with the third and final of those marking Ducati’s 400th in WSBK competition.

The ex-MotoGP racer called it a “nice milestone for Ducati” but added in a possible nod to his future: “I prefer to look at the statistics of my career in peace at home once I’ve hung up my helmet.”

He continued: “I’m very satisfied with my performance from a professional point of view, but the private side is becoming more and more important. 

“Now I have a few days at home to think. I want to make a decision as soon as possible for myself, my family and my team.”