English
Italiano
Kawasaki is going through a difficult time in the Superbike, and the numbers are proof of this. From February to date, Johnny Rea hasn’t won a single race. And, as if that weren’t enough, the private teams are just plodding along. This is the case with Puccetti, a team that's well-known in the paddock, to the extent that it launched a talent like Toprak Razgatlioglu.
And, to this regard, we can’t forget the Turkish rider’s triumph with Manuel’s team at Magny-Cours in 2019. The fact is that those times seem far away, and Manuel doesn’t really mince words about it.
“Unfortunately, Kawasaki is going through a very difficult time, and the situation is quite critical in terms of results,” Manuel admitted. “Rea is riding beyond the limit, pulling out all the stops, but it’s not enough. In Misano, he arrived twenty seconds afater Bautista. That’s too bad, because Kawasaki has always boasted a glorious history in this paddock, and it deserves to occupy other positions.”
The private teams are worse off.
“Exactly. A breakthrough is needed for next year, and I’ve already discussed this with the heads at Kawasaki. We came to win with Toprak. Now we’re far from the top ten. My priority is certainly to continue with Kawasaki, But, under these circumstances, I’m not having it, and I don’t intend to continue my adventure in the Superbike. I’d rather move forward but focus all my efforts on the SuperSport.”
What kind of reassurance did Kawasaki give you?
“I know that, in the last test, they worked towards 2024 with the aim of taking an important step forward. But then you have to see the progress on the track from the practical side. If I look at 2019, just to give you an example, our bike allowed us to fight for podiums and victories, so much so that we were one of the last private teams to win. Now the situation is very different and it's disheartening to see our bikes struggle so much.”
