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Alvaro Bautista: what are you doing now your day job is postponed?

HRC WorldSBK contender Alvaro Bautista doesn’t have a lot to do at the moment as coronavirus has curtailed the season, so we asked him what he is doing to kill the time.

"It's a strange situation, one we've never experienced before. This virus mainly affects people who are older and frail, or who already have other problems.

"It’s time to think more about others than about ourselves. It's a time for solidarity. Let’s hope that the situation will improve as soon as possible and that we never find ourselves in this position again.

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For a world-class professional athlete, training and psychological preparation is very important. Have you changed your physical and mental preparation at all as you wait to return to the racetrack?

"Right now, I would say that I can do about half the training I usually do. Luckily, I have a small gym at home so I can do something, but I can’t train at a more technical level, meaning riding, whether motocross, supermotard or flat track.

"Let's say that I can train physically but not technically, in a normal, non-specialist way. But you have to adapt to every situation. Mentally, I’m not focusing on the fact that we can't ride, or on the uncertainty of when we can return to racing. I try to use the time at home in a positive way, to be with my little girl which is certainly very nice for me.

The WorldSBK Championship has been able to complete its first round, as scheduled, in Australia. Over these last two weeks, have you had chance to review the races and analyze that first weekend? How would you judge it, with a clear head, and what do you expect from the next rounds?

"At least we were able to start the championship. It was a difficult weekend but at the same time a very positive one. We knew, before we got there, that it would be tough, because our team is new, the bike is completely new, and we have to develop it as best we can.

We need time and we didn’t have much of that before the first race, also because of the unfavorable weather conditions we found during the winter tests.

"But we made the most of the Australian weekend to find solutions that will help us to improve our confidence with the bike and, despite a complicated weekend, which included a crash on Saturday, we were able to show the potential that we have, that the bike has, that the team has, that Honda has.

"This is positive and allowed us to gather a lot of information with which to take the next step. Of course, in this situation, the engineers can only work at home while the track has to wait."

Have you kept in touch with your technicians and engineers in Japan?

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"Yes, after the race we talked because, you know, during a race weekend we exchange just the biggest, most immediate comments and maybe you forget some small details that can nevertheless be very important. So, yes, after Australia we have been in touch, exchanging impressions, trying to go into more detail and clearly the work continues, even if it’s not at the track. We keep in touch with the factory."

Do you have a message for your fans?

"That the most important thing now is human life and therefore: stay at home! Let's think about others, this is the time to show solidarity. Hopefully, people who are ill will recover and the races will restart soon, proving that the situation is back to normal. A big, virtual, hug to all of you."

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