WorldSBK: Axel Bassani: “I hope to be like Tom Sykes, Jonathan Rea in the future”

Axel Bassani wants to fill the shoes of Jonathan Rea at Kawasaki, but replicating his WorldSBK success will be a near-impossible task, admits the Italian.
Axel Bassani, Jerez WorldSBK Test, 31 October
Axel Bassani, Jerez WorldSBK Test, 31 October

Bassa💯ni was signed to replace the six-time WorldSBK champion following Rea’s departure for Yamaha.

Twice the top indepe🅰ndent rider of the year with mtocorsa Ducati, Bassani was a no-brainer in terms of deserving a factory rid𓆉e.

But after that door𒊎 closed at Ducati, leaving for Kawasaki who h🏅ave slowly lost touch with the Italian manufacturer and Yamaha, was Bassani’s only option.

12th fastest 🍸at the recent Jerez test, Bassani gave his first thoughts of the ZX-10RR and where improvements need to come.

“Lap after lap I started to feel good wᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚith the bike,” said Bassani. “It’s only the first two days but step-by-step we are trying to learn and to be competitive. We have some areas we need to work on but especially with wheelie.”

Bassani♔ continued his assessment of the Kawasaki machine but admitting it is different to the Panigale V4 R ‘in all areas’.

Speaking to WorldSBK.com, Bassani said: “It’s different in all areas! The brakes and also in acceleration but it’s good; when something is new, you need time to understand and after, when you’re ready, yo✅u can push. 

“It’s not easy to have a different engine – V4 compared to inline𒉰 four. We need more time; the right🍎 answer is ‘time’. 

“It’s special in KRT﷽ as there’s a lot of people with a lot of experience and it is nice to be part of this team𒊎. 

“I hope in the future to be like Tom Sykes or, maybe not like Jonny b﷽ecause it’s not easy but 10% of Jonny!”

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