Image: Supplied.

Alvaro Bautista has expressed he’s thankful for the opportunity to race his rookie WorldSBK season with Aruba.it Racing – Ducati following his final outing with the squad in Qatar, the Spaniard now preparing to transition to an all-new Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) team in 2020.

Bautista’s maiden campaign in the series saw him dominate the initial rounds of the championship where he built a 60-point advantage, however his lead quickly diminished in the next half of season following a number of errors, ultimately losing the title to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team).

The Honda-bound rider finished his time with Ducati at Losail last weekend, recording a 4-2-3 scorecard across the three races.

“All things considered I’m happy, it’s always nice to finish the season on the podium,” said Bautista. “I’d like to thank Aruba and all the Ducati squad for doing a fantastic job this year.

“Unfortunately, the season didn’t go the way we hoped, but I’m very pleased to have begun my first year in Superbike with this team because they have so much experience in this championship and they helped me a lot. Thanks to everyone, I wish you all the best for next year.”

Bautista’s spot at the factory Ducati team will be taken up by former MotoGP rider and recently-crowned British Superbike champion Scott Redding next year.