GP16 is the right Ducati for Bautista

Alvaro Bautista couldn't be happier with the Aspar Ducati GP16 so far as the Spanish rider heads into the third round of the MotoGP World Championship on the back of an excellent fourth place in Argentina.

Bautista is in a good place at present and admits he gelled with the Desmosedici from his first time on the bike, which has put a smile back on his face.

"I smile because from the first test I did with the Ducati, I felt again very good riding the bike. Also in the winter tests I felt strong and very comfortable with this bike," said Bautista.

"Also in Qatar I was well, but I crashed and I didn't know why because I didn't make a mistake or change nothing from the lap before. In Argentina, I had the same feeling, a good feeling with the bike; also in the race I was very competitive, especially in the second half of the race because in the first half, to battle with the other riders I lost a lot of time compared to the front riders.

"At the end I can smile because I feel that my performance with this bike and with this team is really good, so I will just try to keep this level."

Fan Q - from Bautista's girlfriend! "Will you marry me?" Bautista: "I asked her already and she said yes!" #AmericasGP #MotoGP @19Bautista pic.twitter.com/rMWacl7aWh-- Crash.net MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 20, 2017

New factory Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo has struggled so far with the GP17 and Bautista agrees appears to be in a stronger place right now with the GP16.

"I feel very well with this bike and I see with the factory riders that they have some problems with the new bike. Maybe they don't adapt to the new bike as well as they expect," he said.

"But with the '16 bike, we have the reference from last year and it is a bike that they fought [with] for the victory, for the podium, so it's a good bike and I am very happy with this bike and I just enjoy with the '16."

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