Friday

Rabat and the team focus on race preparation in WorldSBK practice at Portimao

The eleventh round of the Superbike World Championship is now in progress at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portimao, Portugal. For Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and rider Tito Rabat, the goal is to continue improving the setup of their Ninja and fight for the points zone in the races.

This morning, in sunny conditions, the Spaniard completed the first free practice in twenty-third place with a time of 1’43”741. In the afternoon’s second session and despite a crash, Rabat lowered his earlier time by almost a second, a best of 1’42”910 placing him twenty-second in the combined standings.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Superbike World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Bautista (Ducati) – 2) Gerloff (BMW) – 3) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 4) Rea (Kawasaki) – 5) Gardner (Yamaha) – 6) Vand der Mark (BMW) ……… …….. 22) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “Today we worked really hard in both sessions. I crashed during the afternoon’s practice but was fortunately unhurt. We tested various solutions and didn’t use the soft tyre, choosing to concentrate on our race pace instead. I set my fastest time on used tyres and that bodes really well ahead of tomorrow. I’m pleased with my work and optimistic as we head towards the races. A big thanks to my team.”

Oncu less than a second from the front in WorldSSP practice in Portimao

The first day of the eleventh Supersport World Championship round played out in hot and sunny conditions at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portimao. For Can Oncu, who returned to Kawasaki Puccetti Racing at Magny Cours, the ongoing aim is to return to full fitness after a lengthy absence from the tracks due to injury.

The Turkish rider headed out on track this morning for the first practice in which he set a best of 1’45”467 and concluded fourteenth.

In the afternoon’s second practice, Oncu significantly improved on his time, rounding out the day in thirteenth position in the combined standings thanks to a best of 1’44”777. A good performance that augers well for tomorrow, when the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider will be back out for Superpole and the first WorldSSP race.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Supersport World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Navarro (Yamaha) – 2) Montella (Ducati) – 3) Bulega (Ducati) – 4) Debise (Yamaha) – 5) Manzi Yamaha) – 6) De Rosa (Ducati) ……13) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “A positive day. Riding here is less of a struggle and I’ve been able to exploit almost all my bike’s potential. I’m quite happy with my lap time, and tomorrow I hope to continue to improve in Superpole so that we can put together a good race. Thanks to the team for all their help today.”

Saturday

Rabat first among the Kawasaki privateers in WorldSBK Race One at Portimao

The weather at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal was hot and sunny today as the eleventh WorldSBK round continues. In yesterday’s free practice sessions, Tito Rabat placed twenty-second with a fastest time of 1’42”910. This morning, after making some final adjustments to the setup of his Ninja during the final practice, the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider headed back out for Superpole, a session that he finished in twentieth place after setting a best of 1’41”754.

Unfortunately, Tito then received a penalty and was moved back to twenty-third on the grid, which meant he started the afternoon’s 20-lap race from row eight. The Spaniard made a very fast start but at the end of the long straight he made a mistake that caused him to drop many positions. As the race went on, Rabat picked up the pace and eventually finished the race nineteenth, first among the Kawasaki privateers.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Superbike World Championship

Superpole: 1) Rea (Kawasaki) – 2) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 3) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 4) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 5) Bautista (Ducati) – 6) Lecuona (Honda) ………. 20) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Race 1: 1) Bautista (Ducati) – 2) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Rea (Kawasaki) – 4) Gerloff (BMW) – 5) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 6) Gardner (Yamaha) ………19) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “I made a good start but then made a mistake and ran long at the end of the straight. I tried to push hard to catch up to the group of riders in front and in the end, I was able to finish nineteenth. I’m not satisfied with that, because we’re working hard and deserve better results, but we won’t stop trying and so I hope we can already do better in tomorrow’s races.”

Oncu scores points in Race One in WorldSSP at Portimao

The Superpole and first race of the eleventh WorldSSP round played out today at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal. Already in yesterday’s practices, Can Oncu showed that he is continuing to recover after his accident at Assen and subsequent period of absence from the championship. With a time of 1’44”777, the Turk rounded out day one in thirteenth place in the combined standings.

The rider was back on track this morning for Superpole, a session that serves to establish the grid positions for the weekend’s races. Able to improve on his time by more than a second (1’43”735), Oncu qualified in ninth place. This meant that he was able to start the first 17-lap race from the third row of the grid.

He made a very fast start when the lights went out, quickly making up many positions. His physical condition prevented him from maintaining a very strong pace but, by gritting his teeth, Can was able to remain inside the points zone and cross the line fourteenth, scoring two points for his efforts.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Supersport World Championship

Superpole: 1) Bulega (Ducati) – 2) Manzi (Yamaha) – 3) Montella (Ducati) – 4) Navarro (Yamaha) – 5) Debise (Yamaha) – 6) Edwards (Yamaha) ………. 9) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Race 1 – 1) Bulega (Ducati) – 2) Manzi (Yamaha) – 3) Navarro (Yamaha) – 4) Schroetter (MV Agusta) – 5) Debise (Yamaha) – 6) Caricasulo (Ducati) ………..14) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “I started well but then had some difficulty with my left arm, as I’m not yet fully recovered from my injury. If I were fully fit, I could have fought for the win today but for now I’ll settle for improving race by race. The end result, inside the points zone, is positive, but for tomorrow I hope to improve my position. Thanks to my team for their amazing support.”

Sunday

Rabat just misses out on the points zone in WorldSBK Race Two

The eleventh and penultimate WorldSBK round has concluded today at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal. The Superpole and Race 1 ran yesterday, with rider Tito Rabat pacing twentieth and nineteenth respectively, while this morning saw the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider return to the track for the Superpole Race, a ten-lap sprint race. Having made a good start, the Spaniard retained a consistent pace, which allowed him to close in eighteenth place.

Race 2 ran in the afternoon over a distance of 20 laps. The Barcelona native got away fast and was up into the chasing group. Rabat fought long and hard as part of this group, continuously exchanging places with his rivals and crossing the line sixteenth, just one position from the points zone and once again first among the Kawasaki privateers.

The next WorldSBK round will take place on 27-29 October at the Circuito di Jerez Angel Nieto, in Spain.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Superbike World Championship

Superpole Race: 1) Bautista (Ducati) – 2) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 4) Gardner (Yamaha) – 5) Lecuona (Honda) – 6) Rinaldi (Ducati) …….. 18) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Race 2: 1) Bautista (Ducati) – 2) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 4) Gerloff (BMW) – 5) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 6) Petrucci (Ducati) – 7) Lecuona (Honda) …….. 16) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “The Superpole Race is a difficult one for us, as we often find we can’t express our full potential over just ten laps. Race 2 went better and we came very close to the points zone, which would have repaid all our hard work here at Portimao. We now have almost a month’s break in which to rest up and round out the season in the best possible way at Jerez. Thanks to the team for all their hard work.”

Oncu scores points in Race Two after a double long lap penalty

The Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal has today staged the final race of the eleventh WorldSSP round. Yesterday morning Can Oncu took part in Superpole, scoring an excellent ninth-place finish. He was then able to reach the points zone in the first race, crossing the line fourteenth. The young Turk is still recovering from the injury to his left arm that he sustained in race 2 at Assen in April. Can is not yet back to full fitness but continues to improve, as his results demonstrate.

After morning warm-up, Can was back out this afternoon for Race 2, which ran over a distance of 17 laps. Over the first laps, the Turkish rider was lying around eighth when he was handed a double long lap penalty for having made a jump start. By the time he served the two penalties, Can had slipped down to nineteenth position, from where he immediately began to fight back, moving all the way up to fifteenth to score one championship point. Another exceptional performance by the young Turk, despite his current physical condition.

The final WorldSSP round will take place on 27-29 October at the Circuito di Jerez Angel Nieto, in Spain.

Autodromo Internacional Algarve – Portimao – Portugal
Supersport World Championship

Race 2 – 1) Manzi (Yamaha) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Montella (Ducati) – 4) Schroetter (MV Agusta) – 5) Caricasulo (Ducati) – 6) Van Straalen (Yamaha) ……….. 15) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “I don’t know whether to be happy with my recovery and the point I scored or angry for the two penalties they gave me, which prevented me from scoring a good result. I didn’t even realise that I’d made a jump start. After carrying out the double long lap penalty, I was only thinking about making up as many places as possible, and I was able to reach the points zone. The positive thing is that I’m continuing to improve physically and my feeling with the bike is improving too. Thanks to the team as everyone’s done a great job.”