---
title: "Bautista battles hard for fourth, Abraham makes the top 10"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/04/10/bautista-battles-hard-for-fourth-abraham-makes-the-top-10/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2017-04-10T15:09:12Z"
modified: "2017-04-10T15:09:44Z"
---

# Bautista battles hard for fourth, Abraham makes the top 10

Aspar Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista prevailed in an aggressive midfield battle to claim his first top five finish since 2014, whilst Karel Abraham completed the top 10.

The Spanish rider has been signing the praises of the Desmosedici GP16 all winter, and came into the season expecting a regular challenge for the top five. A crash in Qatar wasn’t the start he wanted, but Bautista was convinced of being able to bounce back in Argentina.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/665829310.jpg)

The Spaniard was at a disadvantage by starting 10th in Sunday’s race, as he got involved in a hard-fought battle over the top five with a group of riders.

Eventually getting the better of Tech 3 Yamaha’s Johann Zarco, who was at the front of this pack, by mid distance, Bautista got the hammer down and upped his pace to match that of the top three. However, the gap to the podium was too great by this point and he settled for fourth.

“That was a nice race, a little like at the end of last season when I was starting from the back but making my way through,” he said.

“I lost a little time at the start, because everybody was really going at it and I got in a tough group, with a particularly aggressive rider in there, and it was difficult to pass.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/665904942.jpg)

“Once their pace dropped off I was able to overtake them and lap as fast as the guys at the front. I was catching them at the end, but I had lost too much ground in the early laps.”

Bautista took the chequered flag an encouraging 6.5s from victory, and moves up to ninth in the standings as a result of his first top four finish since finishing on the podium at Le Mans in 2012.

Team-mate Karel Abraham stunned on Saturday when he put his two-year-old GP15 on the front row in second spot, and enjoyed a strong afternoon on Sunday. A crash in morning warm-up meant he had to use his second bike, which just robbed him of a little confidence.

He dropped through the pack rapidly in the opening laps, but regained his composure to take his first top 10 finish since the 2012 United States Grand Prix in 10th.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/04/AsparTeamMotoGP_02Argentina20344-1.jpg)

“I think it has been a very good weekend for us,” the Czech rider said.

“I am very happy with the six points, which is incredible, and with our qualifying performance yesterday. It wasn’t an easy day after the crash this morning, which meant we had to start with the other bike.

“I was a little nervous about that, also because I was on the front row. This is beyond my expectations. I knew we weren’t going to fight for the podium, but this is still a great result.”