The way Alvaro Bautista went away from the chasing pack in both the Superpole and full distance Sunday races at Motorland Aragon had shades of his rookie season in 2019, when he came, saw and conquered like Caesar riding a lighting bolt.

Even race one winning magician Jonathan Rea had no pace for Bautista on Sunday. First round back, and Bautista looked unbeatable, to everybody except the man himself.

“Not unbeatable,” Bautista told bikesportnews.com. “I think nobody is unbeatable. But for sure, what I said yesterday. I did the race, just keeping calm and just finish the race and get a result and get confidence and start to build up a good pace for the championship. So, yesterday was ‘braking’ in myself.

“Today after the warmup, I felt quite good with the bike. In the superpole race, I said, ’OK, let’s try…’ It was like I was a bit more free. I tried from the beginning to have the lead and just push. Also, because it’s strange, in the practice I always do laps alone, also in the test.

“So the bike, we make a setup with the electronics especially that if I go with this way of braking, this line, this speed, it’s working quite well. But if I have to change braking or line or speed or something, then the bike is not working well anymore. So, yesterday I had this feeling.”

Bautista was in some degree of stress on his bike in Race One, while fighting to escape others, but on his own, and now free of his self-imposed restraint right in the edge, he knew his best way to win on Sunday was to go alone.

We could see in the data that it was like that. Changing the riding style affects a lot the electronics side. So, today I just said, ‘OK. Just get the lead, and at least you can push yourself, even if I have some riders behind.’ But if I can do my line and my brakes, the bike at least is working well and I feel comfortable.

“So, I did it and I was really strong and really consistent during all the Superpole race. Sincerely, I didn’t expect to go as fast as I did. I saw everybody go fast at the beginning but then they dropped. So, I was quite happy.”

Race two was a little different for Bautista. “In the afternoon it was a different story because the track conditions were different from the other day, even the test. The track never reached 28 degrees during all the days before today. So, it was important to understand how much you can push and where is the limit of the track.

“I started quite calm. I saw Jonathan starting well and I just stayed behind him a couple of laps, just to understand how was the track. Once I understand, I try to get the leader and just keep my pace. I did it. I just tried to push as the limit of the track allowed me, so never trying to risk more.

“Just get my pace and don’t risk. And I did. I can get some distance this afternoon as well and I can win. But I think nobody is unbeatable. It’s just we did really good work with the team, and the bike was perfect today in the morning but also in the afternoon. This race, I can be very strong, but for sure, after a few days of test here, it’s easier.

“The problem will be next races when we arrive and we only have FP1 and FP2 to prepare the race. That will be for everybody the same. But for the moment… I just want to enjoy the moment.”