HUNGARIAN ROUND | FRIDAY
May 1, 2026
Saturday at Balaton got underway positively for Team Barni right from the opening track sessions, with encouraging signs in terms of both pace and overall feeling.
In FP3, Bautista focused on setup work but struggled to find the right feeling with the new configuration, eventually reverting back.
In Superpole, Alvaro finished ninth in 1:39.202, hampered both by difficulties in regaining confidence with the bike and by yellow flags that prevented him from completing what looked set to be a very promising lap.
A strong comeback Race 1 for Bautista, who started from ninth on the grid. The Spanish rider built his race patiently and consistently, gaining ground lap after lap and joining the battles within the chasing pack. After a difficult opening phase, during which he struggled to control the bike, Bautista progressively regained confidence and improved his pace in the second half of the race, eventually making the decisive move on Alex Lowes in the closing laps to secure fifth position.
The goal now is to find further solutions to make another step forward.
The action resumes tomorrow at 11:00 with the Superpole Race and at 15:30 with Race 2.
#THERECONQUEST
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“This morning we tried a different setup compared to yesterday, but it didn’t work as we expected. In Superpole I struggled to regain a good feeling with the bike. I also encountered some yellow flags and couldn’t complete the good lap I was putting together. In Race 1, however, I made a good start. In the opening laps I still struggle to be aggressive with the bike, but towards the end of the race I felt much better, I could control the bike better and ride the lines I wanted. My pace improved, but I had lost too much ground at the beginning. I recovered some positions, even if not enough. P5 is not a bad result, but we know we can and must do more.”
