In a significant development for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Axel Bassani, after a three-year stint with the Motocorsa Racing family, is set to ascend to the factory Kawasaki team. This move comes as one of the most anticipated announcements, with Bassani replacing the legendary Jonathan Rea.

Bassani, a 24-year-old Italian talent, has been eyeing a factory seat for the past couple of seasons. His dream is now set to become a reality as he will race in the iconic green alongside Alex Lowes. With this announcement, Kawasaki becomes the fourth manufacturer to finalize their factory line-up for the upcoming season.

Tracing back Bassani’s journey, he began in the European Superstock 600 Championship with Kawasaki in 2015, securing a podium finish at Magny-Cours. By 2016, he transitioned to WorldSSP, clinching the FIM Europe Cup title. His subsequent years saw him honing his skills on Superbike machinery in Italy, leading to consistent performances in the WorldSBK calendar.

Bassani’s breakthrough moment came at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where he led for the majority of the race and secured a P2 finish. His consistent performances have placed him fifth overall in the 2023 season, and he aims to consolidate his position in the remaining rounds.

On his new venture, Bassani expressed his gratitude, stating: ‘I’m really happy for the important opportunity that Kawasaki is offering me. I will give the best of myself on and off the track to achieve the best possible results, hoping to give all the Kawasaki fans great emotions and satisfaction! I want to thank my family for the sacrifices made and Lorenzo Mauri for the path we have taken together which has allowed me to stand out in recent years. See you soon on the track’.

Guim Roda, team manager for KRT, welcomed Bassani, emphasizing the team’s strategy to integrate younger talent: ‘Our 2024 strategy was set months ago, but Rea’s move made us rethink the organisational logic at KRT. We spoke internally with KMC and the decision was to take a younger rider with the potential to win races and who knew how to take advantage of all the KRT experience. His image is fresh, sincere, fun and has a lot of potential to represent Kawasaki’s image in the world. Alex Lowes will now need to apply all of his experience, while Axel will have a bit of time to learn. We are very happy with the structure we have proposed for 2024 and we are very motivated to enjoy racing and take advantage of the best aspects of the Ninja ZX-10RR. I hope the fans enjoy next season with this latest project we are working on’.

Steve Guttridge from Kawasaki Motors Europe shared the excitement, believing that Bassani’s track record is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of his potential: ‘While we continue to compete for wins and podiums in the remaining races of the 2023 season with Jonathan and Alex, already the Kawasaki Racing Team is long-term planning for next season. It is almost impossible to express the impact that Jonathan has had within the Kawasaki racing family and as he leaves us at the end of the season there is a golden opportunity for a rider new to our racing project to make an impression. We are delighted to have signed Axel and our feeling is that his impressive track record so far is only a small indication of his future potential. We look forward to realizing that potential and seeing him blossom on the KRT Ninja ZX-10RR’.

Shigemi Tanaka of Kawasaki Motors Corporation Japan remarked on the transition, highlighting the end of an era with Rea and the beginning of a new chapter with Bassani: ‘Our WorldSBK racing project has achieved multiple manufacturer and rider World Championships in recent years; first with Tom Sykes and then thanks to Jonathan Rea. The news that Jonathan will move elsewhere in 2024 signifies the end of one incredible chapter and the beginning of another in Kawasaki’s illustrious racing history. The global Kawasaki family welcomes the news that Axel Bassani joins the KRT racing project for the coming season and we are confident that, in partnership with Alex Lowes, we will once again field two exciting and success hungry riders on our iconic Ninja machinery in the 2024 WorldSBK Championship’.

Kawasaki’s history of nurturing talent is evident. From Tom Sykes to Jonathan Rea, the team has consistently brought out the best in their riders. With Rea’s move to Yamaha, Bassani is the latest talent to be groomed by this championship-winning team.

O conteúdo Axel Bassani steps up and will replace Jonathan Rea at Kawasaki for 2024 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.