Manuel Puccetti spoke to Corsedimoto about the present and future of his team, which is committed with significant ambitions, in Superbike with Lucas Mahias and in Supersport with Can Öncü et Yari Montella.
Matteo Bellan / Corsedimoto.com
The team Kawasaki Puccetti Racing is now an established reality in the world of Superbike. In recent seasons it has performed less than expected, but seeing the Italian team in a good position again in 2023 would not be surprising. She has already shown in the past that she is capable of achieving excellent results and intends to do so again.
And she also wants to stay at the forefront in World Supersport, where the presence of Manuel Puccetti's team predates its presence in SBK (debut in 2017) and led to two pilot titles (2015 and 2016) with Kenan Sofuoglu. There is no shortage of ambition.
How do you judge your team’s 2022 season?
« We should have done a little more in Supersport and Superbike, I expected more from the team and the riders. In SSP, we made podiums and we came close to some, we have the potential to aim for third position and that is the objective. In SBK, Mahias has stabilized in the top 10-12, this is the best he can do with this package. He has been unlucky the last two years, as he suffered serious injuries that kept him sidelined for some time. He did what he could, knowing that this year the level of the championship has increased a lot and it is difficult to stay in the top 5. For a private team, being in the top 10 now is already a good result . »
For 2023, will you confirm one motorcycle in Superbike and two in Supersport?
« Yes, for the moment, the budget does not allow us to do more. My dream for the future is to have two motorcycles in SBK, I am working hard to achieve this in the medium term. »
There is talk of the possible arrival of Tom Sykes to replace Lucas Mahias. What is the situation ?
« We are in contact with him and other riders, we have not concluded at all. We're just talking. It is possible that by Portimao we will have clearer ideas. His name is on the table, but we have also spoken to other BSB and Moto2 riders. It's certainly not over for Sykes, we're not close to a conclusion and I think it will take about a month. However, he is at the top of our wish list, as we would like to have an experienced rider who can get results immediately and knows the bike well. In the post Razgatlioğlu era, we have been around the top 10 with Fores and Mahias, these are not results we are satisfied with and we want to do better. Being with the top three is impossible, but we want to be between fifth and eighth to tenth place consistently, in the group behind the podium. »
A new Kawasaki homologation seems to be planned for 2023 and there is also talk of a new bike for 2024. Are you optimistic about the future of the Akashi brand?
« Yes, there is trust and that is why we have been with them for fifteen years. We are happy, they treat us like the best satellite team and we have earned it on the field with more than 110 podiums in all categories. The relationship is very good, the ambition is to become an official team but it is something in the long term, because the current official team is achieving excellent results with a very good driver. In 2023 I know that updates in terms of power should arrive, but for now I don't know anything about the new bike for 2024. »
What are your expectations for the Barcelona round?
« In Supersport we had podiums with Mahias and Öttl, so it's a good circuit for us and I think we can have a good weekend. In Superbike, the realistic goal is to be in the top 10. »
What do you think about the fight for the Superbike World Championship between Bautista, Razgatlioglu and Rea?
« They will compete until the last race at Phillip Island, I'm sure. All three are of a similar level on the track, it will be a great championship and it will be decided in the last round. In Barcelona now, I can see Ducati clearly, because there is a long straight. I also see Razgatlioğlu doing well with the Yamaha. The Kawasaki team is based behind the circuit, so they will be extremely motivated. This weekend could be under high tension, given the skirmishes between Bautista and Rea in France. But Toprak won't get involved. »
What is your opinion on what happened between Bautista and Rea at Magny-Cours?
« Johnny made a mistake, but Álvaro's statements were unfortunate and exaggerated. I know that Rea, humanly and professionally, is a fair and sporting man. Bautista disrespected Johnny by accusing him of doing it on purpose and not being a champion. I also wonder about Ducati, who made certain statements and also authorized them to their rider. It was a racing incident and it should have stopped there, there was no need to belittle a champion like Rea »
Speaking of champions, how proud were you to see Razgatlioğlu triumph in 2021?
« Toprak was with us for five and a half years, we raised him with his manager Kenan Sofuoğlu. We have a relationship of friendship and mutual respect that binds us. Even though he won the world title with other colors, we still consider him our man. He always comes to see us in the reception area and next week I will visit him and Kenan. There is a brotherly relationship that remains, even though he is in his third year with another manufacturer. It is a satisfaction for us to have made him and other young drivers progress. »
Can Öncü follow in his compatriot’s footsteps?
« We would like to put him on a path similar to that of Toprak. We actually signed him to a five-year contract and we're now in our second season together. We want to make it progress. If Montella will stay? We are in negotiations, we would like to confirm it but we have not done so yet. We want to fix the Superbike first, then we will fix the Supersport as well. The goal is for everything to be settled in Portimão, before we leave for Argentina. »
Are you in favor of the introduction of a weight limit between the bike and the rider in Superbike?
« It would be better. There are some runners who weigh a little less and who may have advantages that others don't have. Having similar bikes would make it possible to level the championship and therefore have more spectacle. »
What is your opinion on the path taken by the Supersport championship with the new regulations?
« The problem is not the new manufacturers arriving, but Yamaha, which has won 80% of the races organized over the last five years. I am surprised that the FIM did not then get involved in the regulations to level things out. The new bikes have been levelled, they have as much trouble as we do with the Kawasaki. Yamaha's performance should be revised downwards. The situation is embarrassing. »
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