Bautista and Carrasco Square Off
Cycle News Staff | January 31, 2023
The opening test for the 2023 WorldSBK season had a sidenote when Ana Carrasco and World Champion Alvaro Bautista went at it verbally after an altercation on track.
The gloves are off between Spanish stars Ana Carrasco (pictured) and Alvaro Bautista.
Carrasco was riding a Yamaha YZF-R6 on track at the same time as Bautista on his factory Ducati Panigale V4 R, where he said, “I had Ana Carrasco about half a straight length in front of me, but I got closer to her much too quickly in the braking zone. I had to straighten the bike, came on the dirty outside of the corner and went off track. Ana should ride with the amateurs, at the moment she is way too slow to ride with the superbike and supersport guys. It’s not very safe.”
Carrasco countered, saying, “World champion, I saw your board at the finish line and I knew you were coming. Between T1 and T2, I turned to see when you were going to pass and saw you fall… So don’t swindle. You say that with the amateur because I’m a woman?”
No doubt this argument will roll on further as Carrasco switches her attention back to the Moto3 World Championship she is contesting with the BOE Motorsports team. CN
