The Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK squad were one of three outfits to head to the Cremona Circuit directly from Misano for a two-day test for a few MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship teams. After not going to the previous test there in May, it was a chance for riders Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani to learn the track, while the latter continued to to adapt to his new bike and left the Italian venue feeling optimistic.

Before his home round at Misano, Bassani’s best result for Kawasaki had been ninth at Assen in a mixed conditions Race 1, but he appeared to have made a step forward on home soil. A Tissot Superpole result of 11^th – his best of the season – was followed up with 11^th in Race 1, sixth in the Tissot Superpole Race and seventh in Race 2 to reach new heights on the ZX-10RR, although he was still behind Lowes with a reduced gap.

At the Cremona test, Bassani posted a 1’28.935s to finish fourth on Day 2 and fifth overall (as Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) set the best time of the test on Day 1 and didn’t test on Day 2) with 143 laps completed. He was just a couple of tenths behind his teammate and four tenths away from Razgatlioglu’s best time of a 1’28.578s, showing good promise for ‘El Bocia’ and perhaps another step forward as he continues to learn the ZX-10RR after three seasons on the Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Speaking after he completed his two days of running at Cremona, the #47 said: “We finished two days of testing here at Cremona and they were two really positive days. We tried a lot of things. On Thursday morning, we did a really good lap, and, in the afternoon, we worked on the setup of the bike. I think we improved a lot; we were really near to the first position. I’m really happy with the feeling of the bike. It’s the first time I’m feeling really good with the Kawasaki, and I think we made a step at Misano and here we did one more. Now, we will wait for Donington.”

Bassani has often gone well at Misano, claiming podiums with Team Motocorsa Racing there, and in previous years it has been where his seasons have really kicked on. A test straight after where he was once again close to Lowes suggests that might be the case again and, with his future secured after re-signing with the team that will morph into the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team for 2025, the next step for Bassani is to ensure he remains within touching distance of Lowes next time out at Donington Park.

Watch all the action from WorldSBK in 2024 in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!