Back To Its Best... Almost.
Fast Bikes|June 2019

FIM Superbike world championship.

Jamie Morris
Back To Its Best... Almost.

As I sit in a deserted airport departure lounge, following on from WorldSuperbike round three, I can’t help but think about the problem that is Alvaro Bautista. A happy, smiley Spaniard, with the strange combination of biker tattoos and a face for children's television, is destroying the World Superbike field this year. When I say destroying, I mean destroying. Three wins at round two in Thailand and now a further three at Aragon. Nine out of nine for Number 19.

But behind Bautista and upwards of 10 seconds behind at some points this year, (15 in race one at Aragon), we are having some of the best racing we've had for years. Four time and reigning champ Jonathan Rea is second in the championship, but is going quicker than he was last year – which shows just how hot the pace is from Bautista.

After a mistake in qualifying, Rea started both race one and the sprint race from tenth on the grid in Aragon. So, to make it through to second position and to the front of some epic battles for the podium still shows his class, even if he still needs a little more.

Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes looks like he’s finally nailed all the pieces in the right places – meaning he’s delivering excellent results and sits in third place in the championship. After three podiums in Thailand, he followed it with a strong weekend in Spain.

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