Bautista takes emotional home podium for San Carlo Honda Gresini

It was at the aptly renamed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli that lvaro Bautista scored his first MotoGP podium and his first with the team in what was an emotional way to remember Simoncelli at his home circuit.

Having made his way through the field throughout the race, the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider was involved in a tussle to the line with Andrea Dovizioso, taking the podium by a mere 0.003s.

lvaro Bautista

"It is always nice to finish on the podium but especially for me today with this being my first in MotoGP. Above all this is a very special weekend for me and the team because our memories of Marco are so strong coming here to the circuit named in his honour. After a few tough races we have worked well here and managed to fight for the podium at last. I am so happy for the team and for Marco because I am sure that wherever he is right now he was pushing us along. I could feel his hand on my shoulder today and I realised at the end that my name had come loose from my leathers so you could say it was Marco that was with us today. It has been an extraordinary day and I almost crashed at the startI picked myself up on my right elbow. I am happy for everybody who has believed in me and I want to dedicate this very special podium also to them."


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