Newsletter

The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

14 Huhtikuu 2018

Seventh Place On The Grid For Morais

Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) secured seventh place on the grid for Sunday’s WorldSSP race after a strong pre-race showing as a substitute rider for the injured Kenan Sofuoglu. Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was tenth in Superpole 2, after qualifying fastest in Superpole 1.

After just two days on a Kawasaki Puccetti Racing machine Sheridan Morais secured a third row starting position for Sunday’s Motorland Aragon WorldSSP race, with a lap time less than a second from the quickest rider at this 5.077km long circuit.
 
Morais was second fastest qualifier in Superpole 1, right behind his team-mate Okubo, but in the subsequent second superpole session Sheridan made a real leap to go seventh fastest in a field of 28 riders. He starts raceday as the top Kawasaki entrant.
 
Okubo, a new signing for Kawasaki at the start of 2018, continues to grow and learn the secrets of 2018 machine inside his experienced team. Rider and technical staff combined well to see him fastest of all the riders in SP1, and then finish tenth overall in SP2.
 
With warmer conditions expected on raceday than those experienced today, the Kawasaki Puccetti team will now make their final set-up choices to take on 16-laps of the often fast and flowing Motorland Aragon circuit. The race – the third of 12 scheduled rounds this year - will take place at 11.30am on Sunday 15th April.
 
Sheridan Morais, stated: “I am really happy with the steps we made today, as we went a lot faster than yesterday. I feel our race pace is pretty good, although we have not done a full race distance yet. I hope that my fitness is alright. I have been training a lot but I do not know how my ‘bike fitness’ is. We will see tomorrow but I feel we have a bike that is good for the race and that I can do the same lap every lap. Our race pace should be the pace to be up at the front. I am happy with qualifying and really happy for the team so it should be good for Sunday.”
 
Hikari Okubo, stated: “I am happy because a good feeling is coming with the bike. In Superpole 1 and Superpole 2 the team staff worked well, so a big thank you to them. I am understanding the Kawasaki more and more. I set my best time in Superpole 2 but I had some chattering problems. My grid place is tenth but I think I can do a good job in the race and I will try to push again.”
 
Returning to action after injury, Michael Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) was 12th fastest and Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) 15th. ESS rider Rob Hartog (Team Hartog Against Cancer) was just one place behind West in Superpole 1.
 
Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) ran out 18th in SP1 at his home round; Wayne Tessels (Chromeburner Wayne’s Racingteam MTM) was 25th today. A fall for Lachlan Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) prevented him from going for an even better position than 27th, with Peter Sebestyen (SSP Hungary Team) just one place behind.