SBK, Honda launches the challenge to Ducati in Superbike and from dealers

There is no doubt in fact that Alvaro Bautista, having gone from one red to the other, will want redemption to try to recover what seemed his own at the beginning of the year and then incredibly escaped: the world Superbike title.

It will be a triangular challenge … that of the world series 2020 derivatives, because we cannot forget that the real couple to beat remains the one made up of Johnny Rea and from his Kawasaki, but there is no doubt that the eyes of fans who support what they buy will be focused on the blonde hair of Alvaro, a real surprise, both positive and negative, of the season just ended.

But if we already know from Kawasaki and Ducati what to expect given the results of this year – 11 victories each for the Rossa and Verdona (not counting the sprint race N.d.R.) – there is no doubt that the new and long-awaited CBR is a bike to be discovered entirely.

The numbers of the standard version, presented at Eicma, are impressive – 217 hp is a remarkable result considering that we are talking about an engine of one liter of displacement not anabolic at 1100 cc – but the real judge as always will be the track.

Under the slow magnification, however, there will be not only her, the CBR 1000 with an extra 'R', but also Bautista that to a first half of the dazzling championship has followed a second half decidedly below the expectations, so as to raise the doubt that the Panigale, initially accused of being a MotoGP in disguise, is not actually a bike so easy to handle. As the performance of Chaz Davies would suggest.

But who risks more between the man and his (new) bike?

Because if it is true that the project of the new Honda presented to Eicma is completely new, Alvaro will have to confirm himself as a reference driver, both in terms of development and performance.

Will it live up to expectations? There is also a lot of curiosity because if there is no change of jacket in the MotoGP in 2020 and someone is still waiting to be able to challenge Marc Marquez on a weekly basis, in Superbike the comparison with the recent past will be immediate.

And Bautista will have to deal with both Rea and his Kawasaki, but also with his ducati replacement, Scott Redding. A challenge in the challenge.