Marco Bezzecchi
Alvaro Bautista did not hold back on his thoughts on MotoGP riders today compared to the Superbike World Championship.
In recent years, MotoGP has experienced a level of fanfare and investment not seen previously in the sport.
The explosion in popularity of MotoGP has led to an influx of new fans from all over the world, as the sport continues to expand globally.
F1 star Kimi Antonelli has visited Valentino Rossi’s ranch during the break – But which MotoGP rider would win a race in Formula 1 cars?
With MotoGP now being more popular than ever, there is a growing demand to adapt the sport. Most recently, Davide Tardozzi dismissed Liberty Media’s idea for reserve riders, an idea that would have made MotoGP more similar to Formula One.
But as the sport has grown significantly, Alvaro Bautista believes the current crop of MotoGP riders has become more focused on their public image over the actual racing.
READ MORE: Alvaro Bautista says ‘fantastic’ Marc Marquez has been a little ‘lucky’ during his MotoGP career
Alvaro Bautista claims MotoGP riders today are too ‘image-oriented’
Alvaro Bautista was a guest on the Fast and Curious podcast. The former MotoGP rider, who now rides for Ducati in the Superbike World Championship, was very critical of the current crop of MotoGP stars.
He believes the growth of MotoGP has led to riders becoming more concerned with their image in the public eye than the racing itself.
“It’s clear that, especially in recent years, with the media boom, everything is evolving very quickly. Back when I was in MotoGP, there were fewer media interactions and a lesser emphasis on social media.
“It was more racing-focused and less image-oriented. Now I think there’s almost more of a focus on image than racing. I don’t know exactly how it is now because I don’t go to see the race much, but that’s what I see from the outside.
“Superbike still maintains that racing spirit, that competitiveness. Although they’re also incorporating a bit more of the media interaction. That’s normal. It’s true that, especially for the viewer, the Superbike World Championship is amazing.”
READ MORE: Valentino Rossi’s former engineer compares in-form Marco Bezzecchi to MotoGP icon
Do you agree with Alvaro Bautista’s take on MotoGP fans?
Alvaro Bautista says Superbike is for ‘real fans’ of racing
Bautista went one step further and suggested that the Superbike World Championship appeals to more true motorsport fans, while MotoGP has become more of a social event.
“Because people can get a podium finish, they can be with the riders, they can enjoy the podium ceremonies live with the riders… When people come to see us, they don’t just watch the races, but they get to feel a part of the races.
“We interact with them; there are autograph signings, so there’s more of a relationship between the riders and the fans. It’s more of an opportunity for the fans to see the riders in the thick of things. Honestly, the World Superbike Championship is designed very well for fans.
“95% of the fans who come to races are fans who really like motorcycles, and 5% are there for the spectacle. I think that lately, MotoGP has a lot of fans who come for the event, the spectacle, take pictures, and not for the racing itself.
“They don’t know what the bikes are, and they don’t know half the grid. But the people who come to Superbike know everyone… The real fans are the ones who come to watch Superbike races.”
While it’s admirable that Bautista is trying to promote Superbike to an audience that might not be familiar with the product, he has taken a very antagonistic stance towards MotoGP.
To suggest that fans of MotoGP aren’t true racing fans is alienating potential future audience members of Superbike, and is not a good look for a rider who, with all due respect, didn’t find great success in MotoGP.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
