Kawasaki's Leon Haslam returns to the Motorland Aragon circuit for the first time since 2015 this weekend and believes the long straights have already given WorldSBK series leader Alvaro Bautista an advantage.

Haslam set some quick laptimes during the KRT winter test here and is keen to get involved in the podium scrap after a difficult weekend in Thailand where he raced with a serious back problem which is now 'ten times better'.

“Aragon is a circuit I last raced at in 2015 but I was on pole. I managed to score a podium there, so those are not bad memories," said the Derby man.

"It has not been one of my favourite circuits but the lap times have been pretty competitive. My very first test with KRT was at Aragon last year, even though we lost some track time due to the weather. But the lap times still came pretty good.

I am predicting that it is going to be a tough weekend this time. Jonathan’s record around there is really competitive.

"Chaz Davies goes pretty well there and Alvaro Bautista is going to be the man to beat, especially with the couple of big straights that there are at this circuit. I think it is going to be a big fight to get on that podium but obviously that is always my aim.

"My back is better, definitely ten times better, than it was in Thailand.”