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SBK, Bevilacqua: "HRC is back in the World Championship to win"

Moriwaki Althea's team manager: "When you work in such a situation, it's like going from ordinary to extraordinary."

SBK: Bevilacqua: "HRC is back in the World Championship to win"

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New year, new bike. This could be the slogan that accompanies Genesio Bevilacqua's adventure with Honda Moriwaki Althea.  It will be up to him to fill the position as team manager in a team that dreams of forging ahead to aspire at playing the leading role in the next World Superbike.

The wait is long, and the curiosity regarding the project is great. Certainly, with the return of HRC in the world of derivatives, the bar has risen quite a lot. 

"This new adventure is undoubtedly a great motivation for all of us," stated Bevilacqua. "At the moment, it's still difficult to say how far we can win.  The fact remains that when HRC takes on the track, it does so to reach important milestones, given that it's the world leader in the sector.

Important goals, that is, winning.

"Exactly. As I stated, we still don't know within  how long that will be possible. Surely, HRC has not returned to the Superbike World Championship to participate."

What struck you most about this collaboration with HRC?

"Few know about it, but, in the 1990s, I got to work with Honda with a champion like Kazuto Sakata.  With them, you understand what the mentality of your racing team is. You come into contact with a world that goes from ordinary to extraordinary. I'm referring, in part, to the technologies available to them, which perhaps other teams can't have. Now we'll have to calibrate all our energies to reach certain goals."

The other teams went through the tests in Europe, while you still have to face the comparison.

"True. What I can say is that our bikes come out of Honda HRC production and represent the maximum of the work carried out in recent months. The tests on Monday will be very important for all of us. In fact, I can't wait to get on the track so that we can understand what the level is."

But you we were in Buriram. What's the evaluation of that test?

"We were in Thailand in January. But, more than anything else, that was an occasion to get to know each other, to come into contact with the team and the riders. Here, at Phillip Island, we'll have a more detailed picture of the situation."

One of the most striking features of HRC is that it responds to the requests of the riders in a very short time. In MotoGP, for example, we saw that Lorenzo had a new seat in a week.

"When you work with others in such a situation, everything suggests that these are their motivations, that is, being reactive, then immediately responding the requests made. Personally, I expect a fast bike, but, in all this, you need the right test."

Translated by Leila Myftija
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