Álvaro Bautista

Infobox 250cc rider
Name = Álvaro Bautista


Caption = Álvaro Bautista 2008
Nationality = flagicon|Spain Spanish
Birthdate = November 21, 1984
Birthplace = Talavera de la Reina, Castile-La Mancha
Bike number = 19
Current team = Master Mapfre Aspar
Championships = 1 (2006)
Race Starts = 97
Race Wins = 13
Podiums = 33
Poles = 14
Fastest laps = 15
Points = 909
Last season = 2008
Last position = 2nd (183 pts)

Álvaro Bautista (born 21 November 1984 in Talavera de la Reina, Castile-La Mancha) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who currently competes in the 250cc class of the Grand Prix Motorcycle World Championship for the Master Mapfre Aspar Aprilia team.

Early years

He made his international debut in the 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, also finishing as runner-up in that year's Spanish 125cc championship, and winner of it in 2003. Bautista scored his first podium position and fastest lap at Donington Park in his second full season in 2004. In 2006 he won the 125cc World Championship with eight wins, on the MVA Aspar Aprilia

250s

2007

For the 2007 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season he raced for Aspar in the 250cc class. He took his first 250cc victory at the 2007 Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on June 3rd, also claiming his maiden 250cc pole position that weekend [http://antdavidson.blogspot.com/2007/06/offtopic-alvaro-bautista-takes-maiden_03.html] . A second 250cc victory came at the Estoril on September 16th, in the Portuguese Grand Prix, where - having started from sixth on the grid he dropped to twelfth during the first lap to carve his way through the field and eventually take an easy win. He finally ended the 2007 season fourth overall in the Championship, and was subsequently awarded the MotoGP / FIM "Rookie of the Year" Award for the 250cc class.

2008

Having been tipped as the 2008 250cc champion, he finished 6th in the season opener in Qatar. At Jerez he looked set to win before his engine gave out on the final lap causing Marco Simoncelli to hit his bike [http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Kallio+takes+surprise+250cc+victory+after+Bautista+Simoncelli+crash] , subsequently handing Mika Kallio the win. However, Bautista took his first win of the season at Estoril before he crashed out of the lead in China [http://www.ktm.com/Detail.6297.0.html?&nodeID=103104&cHash=0136f13dbf] and Italy, only finishing 14th in Le Mans.

In Bautista's home race at the Catalunya circuit he dominated the qualifying sessions, took pole position and lead the race from the start, but an error while switching gears in the last lap gave Marco Simoncelli the chance to pass him and left him unable to fight back before the finish line.

The British round at Donington marked his fourth pole of the season [http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/june/16-22/jun2108alvaro-bautista-fourth-pole-season/?&R=EPI-101235] . In another fight with Simoncelli, Bautista missed the top spot again after an overly optimistic passing manoeuver by Simoncelli in the penultimate lap, which caused both riders to go wide and allowed Mika Kallio to pass them and snatch the win.

A win finally came at Assen, despite an awful start from pole leaving him 8th at the end of lap 1 [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gvm34eKbCEkTRQq-2XOXpaVjEeeg] .With further podium finishes in Germany, Brno and Japan and another win at the Misano Grand Prix, Bautista cut down the gap to chmapionship leader Simoncelli and now sits in second place in the championship. However, a cancelled race in Indianapolis due to bad weather conditions caused by Hurricane Ike leaves Bautista with only three more races to try and close the gap.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing career

(Last update: 1st October 2008)

External links

* [http://www.alvarobautista.com Alvaro Bautista Official Website]
* [http://www.batifans.com Alvaro Bautista Fan Forum - in English]
* [http://www.alvarobautista.co.uk Alvaro Bautista Fansite]
* [http://www.teamaspar.com Team Aspar Website]
* [http://www.teamaspar.net Team Aspar News]