---
title: "Bautista confident of top five challenge in 2017"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/03/21/bautista-confident-top-five-challenge-2017/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2017-03-21T12:45:08Z"
modified: "2017-03-21T12:45:37Z"
---

# Bautista confident of top five challenge in 2017

Aspar MotoGP rider Alvaro Bautista comes into the opening round of the 2017 season aiming at being a regular top five contender on his Ducati.

Bautista last raced with the Spanish team in the 250cc class, where he was runner-up in 2008. He also won the 2006 125cc world title with them.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/03/652582032.jpg)

He stepped up to the premier class in 2010 with Suzuki, switching to the Gresini team for 2012 on a Honda. He remained with the Italian squad when they began their partnership with Aprilia in 2015, and helped develop the RS-GP into a regular top 10 contender over the course of 2016.

Bautista will pilot last year’s Desmosedici, a bike he has had nothing but praise for and one he has continuously impressed on throughout the pre-season.

“I am looking forward to getting started now, after a pre-season during which we have worked hard to get to know the bike and the team,” he said.

“Every day we have felt more comfortable, we have done a good job and we go to the first round with a decent base to work from.”

The Spaniard has enjoyed a decent record at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, winning the 2006 125cc race and making the top 10 twice in his MotoGP career.

At last week’s final test at the 5.4km circuit, Bautista concluded the three days an impressive fifth on the combined time sheets and just over three tenths off the pace.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/03/652132802.jpg)

“Hopefully we cane reproduce the same feeling as at the test, continue to build and see if we can get back to the same level as them. I arrive feeling confident and now we will see how high we can go,” he added.

The GP16 was a double race winner last season, and this has Bautista setting his sights high. Despite the number of factory bikes inside the top 10 having increased for 2017, he still thinks fighting for the top five is a realistic target.

“My thoughts are the same as at the start of the pre-season and our objective remains to be a top five contender.

“Even though there are a lot of factory bikes and the level in this category is very high, I think that is something we can aspire to. We will fight our hardest, give our maximum and hopefully we can achieve it.

“It it doesn’t happen this weekend, the season is long and the important thing will be to gain experience and improve our performance on this bike.”