The 🧔two-time WorldSBK champion is returning to MotoGP ﷽for the first time since 2018 with a wildcard appearance at this weekend’s Malaysian round.

Bautista, who clinched his s🐟econd Superbike title with 27 wins, will be expected to perform well given his domination of the Wo🐠rldSBK championship.

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But with that said, MotoGP is c💫onsiderably more competitive than WorldSBK and thus delivering the same type of results as fellow wildcard Dani Pedrosa - the current KTM test rider scored points in all four races at Jerez and Misano - will be a big challenge.

That’s especially true as Bautista has very little experience with current MotoGP machinery, although he was fast when he jumped aboard the factory Ducati at Misano earlier this year during a private test♈.

In terms of what to exp🌸ect from Bautista, Bagnaia believes top ten results would be a very good achievement.

Bagnaia said: “It’ll be nice for him to ride with us and our bike. Our bike is incredibly fast, it’s an i🐻ncredible bike for braking and everything. 

“He will e❀njoy it a lot. I think, if he finishes in the top ten, he could be very happy.”

Bagnaia’s title rival Martin also expects Bautista to go well at Sepang, but admits ‘we need to wait and see’ when discussing what result people shoul🔜d expect. 

Martin added: “It’s difficult for me to expect some kind of [big] result. We need to wait to see him. I think he had a great test at Misano. We know he’s ✅💙a fast rider. 

“He has some good points on the straig♋ht here, but the level is so high. We need to understand tomorrow but I hope he can be competitive.”