Bautista: “Believe me, I can’t go faster! This is the maximum of Bautista”

The reigning WorldSBK champion backed up his Race 1 win on Saturday by comfortably getting the better of Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu in the Superpole Race and Race 2, respectively.

Not only was Sunday’s double win enough to see him claim a second hat-trick in just three rounds so far in 2023, but the Spaniard also wrapped up Ducati’s 400th victory in the class.

• Assen World Superbike Race (2) Results: Bautista completes treble, Rea crashes 
• Assen World Superbike Superpole Race Results: Bautista wins again

A race track that had so often been dominated by Rea and Kawasaki, Bautista’s treble at Assen served as another reminder that the 2022 season was not an indication of his maximum potential, but instead what was to come on an even more consistent basis. 

Bautista is already over 100 points clear of Rea, while also holding an advantage of 56 over his closest challenger, which is Razgatlioglu.

Speaking about his stunning achievement, Bautista said: "It’s a fantastic feeling. It is an incredible milestone for Ducati to achieve 400 victories. On my side, I’m happy but more than the results, my feeling with the bike is amazing. 

"Yesterday, I felt good but with some problems in the race that maybe you could not see because I won. I know when I can go faster or when I can have a better feeling or when not. 

"Today we changed the set-up of the bike and already in the morning I felt much better. In the Superpole race I pushed harder and harder and I saw the limit of the bike was further than yesterday. 

"I was able to go really fast in the Superpole Race and in Race 2 I was able to be more precise with my riding."

Bautista has been making most of the difference during the middle and latter part of races, as tyre conservation has been one of his biggest strengths over the last two seasons.

However, Bautista did admit that his current form is the best he can do, although it remains plenty good enough based on his results. 

"In the end, I could have a good pace, push to my limit, the limit of the bike and I’m happy because I did that," added Bautista. 

"This is the ‘maximum of Bautista’. If there are other riders than can go faster; believe me I can’t. It has been a perfect weekend for us."