Alvaro Bautista has downplayed h▨is hopes in this weekend’s Worl💧d Superbikes opening round.

The WSBK champion ar♔rives at the Phillip Iಞsland round after battling nerve damage, suffered at the postseason test last year.

The one-💟day test earlier this week was Bauti🌳sta’s sole opportunity to ride pain-free.

“After the last day of the test, I felt a bꦿit better,” he said.

“My physical condition improved a lot from the test before. I am happy. It was the first time in preseasꦚon that I could feel the bike, to try to increase performance.

“I don’t feel in my [top shape]. But in my mind, the🐻re are no worries about pain anymo♈re.

“I can focus on my feeling with the bike.

“For sure, it won’t be an easy weekend for us.

“It’s been a to﷽ugh winter for me. I worked to recover as soon as po꧒ssible.

“But it was ver🌠y slow. I couldn♚’t train like a normal winter.

“We have to accept it.”

Bautista has won two WSBK titles in a row but insists that🍒 victory in the first race of this title defence is beyond him.

“For sure, I have no ex🐎pectation this weekend,” he said.

“It is a long championship. It is only the first race, we don’t hav🐓e to be 🍸crazy.

“Recover feeling with the bike, that’s it.

“No exp🧸ectation, no result, no pressure. Just arrive to our best with “the maximum that we can.”

So, who will win?

Bautista has seen Jonathan Rea join♈ Yamaha, Nicolo Bulega shine with Ducati, and Toprak Razgatlioglu link up with BMW to๊ renew their challenges.

“Tests are te𝕴sts, races are races,” Bautista said.

“It’s difficu꧒lt. The grid of ‘24 is really competitive with a lot of really fast riders.

“I𒉰 won’t bet my money because anything can happen💮…”