While the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship field were preparing for the start of their season, visitors from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship were on hand to give their view about the new Championship. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) discussed their visit to the Cremona Circuit, with Rinaldi and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) on track with the street Ducati V4 at the Italian venue which is set to host WorldSBK action for the first time next week.

Locatelli came to Cremona to check in on the action but also to provide support to Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha), who will run under the same Pata Prometeon Yamaha banner than ‘Loka’ does in WorldSBK. The 16-time WorldSBK podium finisher explained why he was visiting and previewed the inaugural WorldWCR season which is set to kick off at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” next month.

Looking ahead to the season but also reviewing the test, Locatelli said: “Honestly, my visit is a little bit special. I was already close to Cremona, so I decided to come here, and it’s amazing. My focus and my target now are to win a race in World Superbike, but this Championship looks really interesting. To see the women on track and riding so fast is amazing. I also came to see Beatriz, because she’s supported by my team, so this is something good for us. I was close to Cremona, and my home, so I decided to come.

“I think this is only the first test and they can keep improving. I think the level of the competition with the R7 bike is quite high. In every race, we’ll see the improvement. It’s normal that when you start to ride a bike for the first time, you need to learn a lot of things, but when it’s coming easier, you can improve a lot and rider faster. I think we can say there’ll be a really good fight during the races.”

Locatelli was not the only Italian rider at the track, with Rinaldi dropping by along with fellow Ducati rider Bulega as they prepared for next week’s WorldSBK test at the Cremona venue with some laps on the road Ducati bike. The #21, who recently spoke about how difficult 2024 has been for him, explained how Friday at the circuit had been a good day for everyone.

The five-time race winner said: “It’s been a positive day for everyone. For us because we were training with the street bike and for the WorldWCR because I think it’s a good opportunity for them to try the bikes and the track and also to enjoy these days. It’s a beautiful day under the sun. Me and Nicolo are training to get ready for the test that’ll be in a week.”

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