The latest circuit to join the WorldSBK calendar will host its first global event between 20-22 September. The relatively short 3.768km circuit located to the south east of the Milan metropolis features 13 relatively tight corners and a very long back straight, making it a layout of contrasts.
Both KRT riders have already tested at Cremona, in June of this year, as well as taking part in a two-day test at Motorland Aragon almost immediately after the previous round of this year’s championship.
It has been a strong season for Lowes on the official KRT Ninja ZX-10RR. He has collected ten podium prizes from 24 individual races, including two race victories in the opening round. He also took his first Superpole qualifying trophy in Kawasaki colours at the most recent round in France.
Lowes is currently fourth overall in the title fight. He moved to within eight points of Alvaro Bautista’s third place ranking at Magny-Cours.
In his first season as a WorldSBK official rider, and his first year with KRT, Bassani continues to make progress. He ran inside the podium places for some time in the final race at Magny-Cours recently. At Cremona he hopes to beat his personal best 2024 season race finish of sixth place, which he took at his previous home round in Misano.
Axel is currently 15th in the championship (tied on 69 points with one other rider) and is just six points from the rider in front.
An intense end to the season is about to begin at the Cremona round, with four race weekends crammed into a five week period. The first challenge, immediately after Cremona, is at an old favourite WorldSBK venue - Motorland Aragon - between 27-29 September.
Alex Lowes, stated: “Cremona is going to be an exciting weekend and it’s a whole new venue for WorldSBK. We have had a test there and it’s a challenging layout. I believe some parts will really suit our bike. We’ve been combining well together in the team and working hard to keep improving our package. This weekend will be no different. We will get plenty of laps on the board on Friday to prepare ourselves as best we can for the races. This will be a little bit of an unknown but our expectations are to achieve the best results possible. Let’s see what we can do and I look forward to riding in front of the Italian fans once again.”
Axel Bassani, stated: “Cremona is my second home round and it is always special to ride in your own place with your family there. There are always good vibes when your friends and family are there with you. For sure it will be difficult because Cremona is a small track and it is really difficult to overtake. We will do a lot of laps in each race. But, our recent test there was good and in the more recent test at Aragon we found something new on the bike. I hope to start Cremona in a good way, to enjoy it and have good results.”
Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will compete once again on a KRT-supplied Ninja ZX-10RR, at what is a second home round for his Italian-based squad. Tito is currently 20th in the championship with ten points.
2024 KRT Rider WorldSBK Statistics
Alex Lowes:
2024: Races: 24, Wins 2, Podiums 10, Superpoles 1
Career Race Wins: 4 (3 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 44 (24 for Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 2 (1 for Kawasaki)
Axel Bassani:
2024: Races: 24, Wins 0, Podiums 0, Superpoles 0
Career Race Wins: 0 (0 for Kawasaki)
Career Podiums: 6 (0 for Kawasaki)
Career Poles: 0 (0 for Kawasaki)
8 x Riders’ Championships (Scott Russell 1993, Tom Sykes 2013, Jonathan Rea 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020), 1 x EVO Riders’ Championship (David Salom 2014)
6 x Manufacturers’ Championships (Ninja ZX-10R 2015 & 2016, Ninja ZX-10RR 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020)
5 x Teams’ Championships (KRT/Provec Racing 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019)
Kawasaki FIM Superbike World Championship Statistics
Total Kawasaki Race Wins: 180 – second overall
Total Kawasaki Podiums: 552 – second overall
Total Kawasaki Poles: 109 – second overall
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