With two wins, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki) was the best Superbike opener in Australia. Now the Barcelona Test is intended to lay the groundwork for the continuation of the European races.
Many names were mentioned as favorites to race at the picturesque Phillip Island circuit, but Alex Lowe's name was rarely mentioned. But the Kawasaki rider was a two-time winner on the podium, and along with the points for fourth place, the Englishman surprisingly leads the 2024 Superbike World Championship by 50 points.
Winter's focus on tire durability, which has been Kawasaki's biggest concern over the past three years, is confirmed. Because standard supplier Pirelli is making soft rubber compounds that wear out very quickly with the ZX-10RR.
A test in Barcelona on Thursday and Friday of this week provides an opportunity to optimally prepare for the race weekend on the 23rd/24th. Get ready for March. Kawasaki has recently had difficulties escaping the race distance at the Spanish track.
“Our goal for the test was to continue working on the performance and race trims, while maintaining longer grip than last year – on both the front and rear tires,” explained the World Championship leader. “I really like the layout of Montmelo and the proximity to the team's workshop makes it a second home race. I look forward to improving our package for the Barcelona races a week later.”
Team manager Guim Roda adds: “We know that the meetings in Montmelo and then in Assen will be important for us. Using this test to prepare for the next race will help us understand the direction we need to go. A few more improvements are to be found in the structure of the motorcycle.
For Kawasaki newcomer Axel Bassani, getting used to the Japanese in-line four-cylinder motorcycle is a focus.
“Confidence on the motorcycle will definitely be better in this test,” believes the Italian. “We have a lot of work to do and will try to find the best setup for the race weekend. We hope to have consistent track conditions throughout. We have some new ideas we want to try and see how they work. I have two more days of testing at the track just before KRT's home race. I'm happy to be able to do it. It's important to do a good job and achieve good results.”
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