BbKRT completes first day of 2...

A landmark day for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team in the FIM Superbike World Championship came on Friday 21 February at Phillip Island, as team riders Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani competed for the first time on track during a WorldSBK race weekend.

After two 45-minute free practice sessions, held in warm and dry but breezy conditions, Lowes took the bimota KB998 Rimini machine to ninth place overall while his team-mate Axel Bassani was 11th.

Lowes was just over a second from the best Friday lap time, set by table-topper Nicolo Bulega, with Bassani 1.3 seconds from the leading time.

Both BbKRT riders relied on their morning session FP1 times for their personal best single lap performances. The temperatures in FP2 were warmer than during FP1, and also warmer than either of the two days of recent Phillip Island testing. Track temperatures rose almost 10°C from FP1 to FP2, affecting track grip and machine set-up.

With a small piece of WorldSBK history now made for the entire bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, the work restarts on track for Free Practice Three on Saturday 22 February. The Tissot Superpole qualifying session, and then an 20-lap Race One will follow on Saturday.

By regulation, the full distance WorldSBK races will be split into two halves at Phillip Island, with a mandatory pit-stop at half race distance.

Alex Lowes (BbKRT Rider): “It was an interesting first day at Phillip Island. We had hotter conditions in the afternoon FP2 session, which we did not have at the tests. So this was the first time that we have been really able to try out the bimota KB998 Rimini in some slippery and hot track conditions. It was moving a lot and I was sliding the front and rear. It’s great fun - except when you have to check the lap time, so we struggled quite a lot in these conditions. We did get a lot of useful information. We have to accept that all these different situations are brand new for us. We are learning as we go and have to manage our expectations. But the bike is good fun to ride. I definitely know which rear tyre I want to use in the race tomorrow, so that’s one of the things now off the list. But I am struggling a lot more than I would like, or we expected. It is part of the game. Tomorrow is the first raceday of the year, so let’s see how we go.”

Axel Bassani (BbKRT Rider): “It has been difficult today because the conditions with respect to the recent test were completely different. The feeling with the bike has been different. It was not easy to find a good feeling once more as it was hotter today. We worked had to find the best solution and in FP2 we tried some different tyres. After that we understood what we have to use in the race. I am struggling a little bit in the braking zones and we need to be strong under braking as our bikes are not as fast as some others. So, we need to be strong in the braking zones to both defend and attack. Tomorrow we will work on that point. But, I am enjoying this moment a lot because this is the first time that bimota has come back to racing. For us, every practice is a first practice, so we have to enjoy it, but in the same moment we have to push hard to be the best we can be.”