KRT drivers alex lowes and his new teammate Axel Bassani are today and tomorrow in Portugal, on the very hilly circuit of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, to participate in another important pre-season test with their Ninja ZX-10RR.
A recent two-day test at Jerez in Spain provided good data and valuable track time for all Spanish team personnel as they prepare for the opening round of the WorldSBK season, which will take place in Australia at the end of the month of February.
Portimao, as the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve is often called, is a very different circuit to Jerez, which is largely flat. Situated in the hills behind most of the Algarve coast resorts, Portimao features significant climbs and descents, a final fast downhill then uphill turn, with each lap rounded off by a very long straight and a downhill braking section before the first set of turns.
alex lowes, one of the most experienced WorldSBK riders on the grid, will continue to refine his set-up for the race after making technical changes to his machine this winter, partly due to the new regulations. He will also work on the consistency of his race pace, a particularly important element of the bike's development at the venue of the first round, Phillip Island. alex lowes suffered the negative effects of a stomach virus at Jerez, meaning the Portimao test should be more representative of his performance.
Axel Bassani is a new signing for Kawasaki and the KRT, having ridden a very different machine setup over the previous three years. Axel Bassani is still learning how to maximize the Ninja ZX-10RR's features, while its technical team understands how to best utilize the undeniable talents of its new rider.
Immediately following the Portimao sessions, the official racing machines and ancillary equipment will be returned to the team's headquarters in Catalonia, to be flown to Australia a few days later. The next on-track action after Portimao will be two days of official testing at Phillip Island, on February 19-20, before the racing season proper begins on February 23-25.
alex lowes : “After returning to the track in Jerez, we are now heading towards Portimao, which is very hilly. We did a lot of laps at Jerez and it's a pretty flat track. I wouldn't say Jerez is an easy circuit, because none are easy, but Portimao is a different challenge. If the work we've done with the electronics package, on corner exit, torque control and all the things we've been working on, works well at Portimao, then I'll be really, really happy. »
Axel Bassani : “The next test for us is Portimao, which is a very different type of track to Jerez. Now we need to improve corner entry because I have grip problems. We need to improve the bike's corner entry and cornering. We are working a lot on this point and I hope that in Portimao we will have improvements. In Portimao there are a lot of climbs, descents and wheelies. But the Kawasaki is generally very strong there, so we'll see how we do once we get there. »
Guim Roda (KRT team director): “We will return to the track after a three-day break since the Jerez test to continue working on the elements we have introduced on the bike. Axel made good progress at Jerez and got closer to where we want him to be for his first season with KRT. Alex is working very well and we are trying to make him more regular. We sacrifice a little speed to gain performance throughout the race. We saw an exciting spectacle during testing in Jerez, with many drivers pushing very hard. It's good to have tough challenges, so we're all working hard to be ready for Australia so we can be an important part of the show. »
