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

Bassani was signed to🐭 replace the six-time WorldSBK champion following Rea🌳’s departure for Yamaha.

Twice the top independent rider of the year with mtocorsa Ducati, Bassani was a n🐼o-🃏brainer in terms of deserving a factory ride.

But after that door closed at Ducati, leaving for Kawasaki who have slowlyဣ lost touch with the Italian manufac🌊turer and Yamaha, was Bassani’s only option.

12th fastest at the recent Jerez test, Bassani gave his first thoughts of the ZX-1ﷺ0RR and where improvements need to come.

“Lap after lap I started to feel good with the bike,” said Bassani. “It’s only the first two days but step-by-step we a🙈re 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 𓆉areas! 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, you can push. 

“It’s not easy to have a dᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚifferent engine – V4 compared to inline ⛎four. We need more time; the right answer is ‘time’. 

“It’s special i🐎n KRT as there’s a lot of people with a lot of experience and it is nice to be part of this team.🅘 

“I hope in the future to be like Tom Sykes or, maybe not like Joꦜnny because it’s n💧ot easy but 10% of Jonny!”

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