DUTCH ROUND | SATURDAY
April 18, 2026
Sunday in Assen began with lower temperatures and a cold wind that significantly impacted conditions compared to the previous days. The Warm Up immediately showed encouraging signs for Álvaro Bautista who finished sixth with a 1:34.078, continuing preparations for the Superpole Race.
The 10-lap Superpole Race saw both Barni Spark rider make strong starts from twelfth on the grid. Bautista quickly joined the battle at the front, engaging in a close fight with Alex Lowes throughout the race. The #19 maintained a solid and consistent pace, staying within a few tenths of his direct rival and completing the decisive overtake in the final stages to finish in fourth position.
In Race 2, over 21 laps, Alvaro confirmed the progress shown throughout the weekend. Starting from fourth, Bautista immediately joined the leading group, battling once again with Lowes and consolidating his position in the Top 5. As the race went on, he maintained a consistent pace, overtook Alex Lowes and held a solid fourth place, managing the gap to the leaders.
It was a much-needed weekend after the difficult round in Portimão, with Bautista consistently fighting at the front.
Next round: Balaton Park, from May 1st to 3rd.
#THERECONQUEST
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“Very positive day. Beyond the result, where we achieved the maximum possible, the most important thing is that the changes we made to the bike allowed me to feel more comfortable in the opening laps, both in the Superpole Race and Race 2. We improved the feeling compared to yesterday and, step by step, we are closing the gap to the front. It’s been a very positive weekend in terms of work done and we collected good results. A great Sunday for the whole team, with both riders in the top 5, congratulations to everyone. Hopefully this is just the beginning to reach our maximum performance. I want to thank all the team members for their great work and focus throughout the weekend. Let’s keep going like this.”
