WorldSBK: Axel Bassani: “If I can win with Kawasaki it will be a dream”

Axel Bassani says the current ZX-10RR is built entirely around Jonathan Rea, but that he hopes to make his mark for Kawasaki during the 2024 WorldSBK campaign.
Axel Bassani, Kawasaki WorldSBK Jerez 2023
Axel Bassani, Kawasaki WorldSBK Jerez 2023

Bassani was signed to replace the six-tim🍷e WorldSBK champion after Rea announced he w⛄ould be leaving to join Yamaha.

And with a test at Jerez already under his belt, Bassani admits time is needed in ord💎er ♎to get the best from his new bike.

“It’s not easy to chan�🧜�ge the team, change the bike, but we are ready to,” said Bassani when speaking to WorldSBK.com.

“We need some time to understand the bike but for the moment I feel good. I hope next season to be at the best possible [level] and give Kawasaki some good results.&nbs𒁏p;

“At the moment I canও’t say anything about ne꧂xt season.”

“This is Jonny’s bike”

As part of his adaptation to Kawasaki, Bassani will need to help develop the ZX-10RR which has fallen🔯 behind the likes of Yamaha and Ducati.

However, the🎶 biggest challenge will b🥃e filling the shoes of Rea, who made a habit out of winning even on days when he wasn’t always the strongest. 

“Jonny won a lot of titles and so this is his bike,” added the Italian. “We need time to understand what I need and I need to understand what the bike needs from me. When I start to feel good with the bikeꦉ I will begin to push. 

“With a factory bike you need to win. This is normal but I always wan🐲t to win. 

“It won’t be e💮asy at the start of the season but I hope that step-by-step we can achieve some good results. 

“I didn’t win with Ducati and if, next seღason I can win with Kawasaki, then it will be like a dream.”

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