Manzi and Navarro score points in difficult opening race for Ten Kate Racing in Indonesia

In the first World Supersport race at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Indonesia, Stefano Manzi and Jorge Navarro both scored points for Ten Kate Racing. In the race, both riders had front tyre problems that prevented them from living up to the expectations.

Despite a good start to the weekend on Friday, Saturday went differently than expected for Ten Kate Racing. With a ninth time for Navarro and a tenth time for Manzi in the Superpole session, it was going to be a tough task in Race 1 on Saturday afternoon.

In the early stages of Race 1, Manzi came out strong and was riding in fifth place. However, front tire problems caused him to lose positions after which he eventually crossed the finish line in seventh place. Navarro lost several places right from the start and also had problems with the front tire, he ended up finishing 12th.

Stefano Manzi – P7: “It has been a terrible Saturday for us. In the Superpole session we were not able to find the right feeling and therefore I couldn’t do a very fast lap, that meant I had to start from P10. In the race the first few laps were not bad, but then I started to struggle with the front tyre which made it very difficult for me. We have to understand why this happened and then improve for the race tomorrow.”

Jorge Navarro – P12: “It is difficult to say something about this race. I had a lot of problems with the front tyre, after a couple of laps it was already gone. It was a matter of surviving this race and bring the bike back to the box in one piece. We will learn from this race and try again tomorrow.”

Kervin Bos – Ten Kate Racing team manager: “It was a very disappointing day, both riders were not able to deliver what we expected and hoped for. For some reason we could not find the right setting that allowed both riders to push for the entire race distance. As a result, the team will have to work hard to give them a competitive bike for tomorrow.

Ten Kate Racing is called “Team Rocky” for a reason and we will come back strong. We are not satisfied with what happened today and there is clearly work to be done. We are going to fix this problem for the riders, tomorrow another race with new opportunities.”

Ten Kate Racing comes back strong in Indonesia with Manzi on the podium, Navarro P8

With a second-place finish for Stefano Manzi and an eighth-place finish for Jorge Navarro in the second World Supersport race at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit on Sunday, Ten Kate Racing bounced back from a disappointing Saturday.

Manzi had to come from tenth on the grid but, thanks to a good start, he was already in fifth place on the first lap. His rise did not stop there as the Italian was the fastest rider on the track and managed to pass his rivals one by one. In the thirteenth lap Manzi took over the lead and seemed to be on his way to his first victory with Ten Kate Racing, however he was passed on the last lap on the straight and finished second. This gave the 23-year-old rider his second podium finish in two rounds with the team from Nieuwleusen.

Navarro rode a solid race and managed to join the group fighting for fourth position from ninth on the grid. In the closing stages the Spaniard had to drop out but thanks to some nice overtaking manoeuvres, he finished in eighth place.

In the championship, Manzi has scored 59 points, putting him in second place with 18 points behind the leader. Navarro has accumulated 29 points, putting him in eighth place in the championship.

Stefano Manzi – P2: “It was a good race, but still not perfect as I missed out on the victory on the last lap, which is not easy to accept. I made a good start and I quickly made my way to the front. I did some good overtakes and managed to ride a strong pace, including the fastest lap of the race. In the end it wasn’t enough to win so we need to focus on being faster in the final part of the race. However, it was a very important result after the disappointment of yesterday, this team has had great results over the last years so I want to continue that.”

Jorge Navarro – P8: “It was a positive race for us, we have learned many things. I had some problems at the end but in general I can look back on it with a good feeling. We will keep working and we have two tests coming, which gives us the chance to improve our performance. I’m looking forward to continue working with the team.”

Kervin Bos – Ten Kate Racing team manager: “I think we can be very satisfied with today’s results after what happened yesterday. We lived up to our name again and we came back strong. We found a clear direction for both Jorge and Stefano.

Stefano fought like a lion and showed again that he is a proper racer. He rode great but it will be a very difficult challenge when a Ducati can make up a second in one sector. In collaboration with the FIM we will see if the Ducati’s need to be toned down a bit.

Jorge made a big step today and his potential is equal to Stefano’s. He now has just under two months to recover so I expect both riders to be fully fit in Assen. We have four more test days ahead of us – two days at Donington Park and two days at the TT Circuit Assen – and from there the season really starts. We are really looking forward to that and the team has several ideas to further improve the bike.

The Yamaha Thailand Racing Team riders rode a good race but hit each other in the last corner which cost them points, which is obviously very disappointing. We are looking at the rest of the season with a positive outlook, fortunately now it is time to go home first.”

After several busy weeks in Australia and Indonesia, there is now a seven-week break in the World Supersport calendar. However, Ten Kate Racing will not rest on their laurels and two more test days at Donington Park and two test days at the TT Circuit Assen are scheduled before the season resumes in the weekend of 21-23 april with the team’s home race at the TT Circuit Assen.