Can Oncu scores a second row start in Superpole at Misano

Friday morning’s free practice officially opened this fourth WorldSSP round at Misano. Almost two months after the previous Assen round, Can Oncu was back on the ZX-6R this morning, using the free practice to refine the set-up of his Ninja.

With a time of 1’38”598, the young Turkish rider closed FP1 in eleventh place. The Superpole took place in the afternoon, with Oncu again demonstrating his talents. He unleashed the full power of his bike in the final minutes to set a best of 1’37”663, which catapulted him to sixth place and ensured him of a second row start for the two races that will run at Misano, on Saturday and Sunday.

For this Misano event, the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing bikes are flaunting the beautiful ELF livery to mark the historic collaboration between Total Italia and Manuel Puccetti’s team.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Supersport World Championship
Free practice: 1) Huertas (Ducati) – 2) Manzi (Yamaha) – 3) Montella (Ducati) – 4) Debise (Yamaha) – 6) Navarro (Ducati) – 7) Corsi (Ducati) …………11) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Superpole: 1) Huertas (Ducati) – 2) Montella (Ducati) – 3) Manzi (Yamaha) – 4) Debise (Yamaha) – 5) Tuuli (Ducati) – 6) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “I’m quite pleased with the work we’ve done and the results we’ve scored today. This morning, I made the most of the practice to adapt my bike to his track, while in the afternoon, I used the final minutes to push as hard as I could. I was able to improve on my morning’s best by almost a second. Tomorrow it will be important for me to make a good start from the second row if I want to fight for the win.”

Work in progress for Tito Rabat in WorldSBK free practice at Misano

The fourth WorldSBK round got underway today at the Misano World Circuit. During the two-month break between this round and the previous event at Assen, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and rider Tito Rabat completed two important tests at the Cremona Circuit and Misano. The rider’s goal this weekend is therefore to exploit the progress made on his Ninja ZX-10RR KRT Factory Replica.

In the morning’s first free practice, the Spaniard set a time of 1’34”945, placing seventeenth. Back out in the afternoon, Tito was able to improve on his lap time (1’34”794), despite higher temperatures, to finish eighteenth.

Tomorrow will bring the Superpole and the first race making up this Romagnolo round.

At Misano, the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing bikes will boast the historic ELF livery that celebrates the partnership between Total Italia and Kawasaki Puccetti Racing. A strong professional relationship that the parties continue to renew each season.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Superbike World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Bautista (Ducati) – 4) Gardner (Yamaha) – 5) Iannone (Ducati) – 6) Lowes (Kawasaki) ……. 18) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “Today was a positive day. We’re very fast through sector 2 and sector 4 but have a few issues through turn 11. If we can solve these, we’ll be able to take a big step forward and be much more competitive. The team has worked well and we’re all focused and keen to give it our all in Superpole and the race.”

A crash stops Can Oncu in Race One as he is fighting at the front

Hot and sunny conditions at the Misano World Circuit for the first race making up this WorldSSP race.

After qualifying sixth in Superpole yesterday, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Can Oncu lined up on the second row of the grid for today’s 18-lap race. He made a perfect start which allowed him to immediately move to the front. Unfortunately, during the course of lap two, the Turkish rider tried to up his pace in an attempt to move into the lead but crashed through the Quercia turn as a result. He was unable to continue with the race.

A real pity, because Can had shown that he had the potential to fight for the win. He will try again tomorrow during the second WorldSSP race set to take place at the Misano World Circuit.

The Turkish rider’s bike again features the historic ELF livery today, in celebration of the partnership between Total Italia and Kawasaki Puccetti Racing.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Race 1: 1) Huertas (Ducati) – 2) Montella (Ducati) – 3) Manzi (Yamaha – 4) Debise (Yamaha) – 5) Navarro (Ducati) – 6) Schroetter (MV Agusta) …… DNF) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “Unfortunately, my race only lasted a few laps. I started strong and was in the leading group when I saw that the frontrunners were getting away, so I tried to stick with them. I picked up the pace, but unfortunately crashed, putting an end to my race. I’m sorry I lost this opportunity, but luckily we have another race tomorrow and I’ll try to make up for it, also to give my team a good result in return for all their hard work.”

A crash prevents Tito Rabat from scoring a strong result in Race One at Misano

The fourth WorldSBK round continues at the Misano World Circuit, with Saturday’s races having run in hot and sunny weather. Yesterday, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and Spanish rider Tito Rabat used the free practices to adapt the Ninja ZX-10RR KRT Factory Replica to the Italian track. This morning, after a third and final practice, Rabat was out for Superpole, which establishes the starting grid for the two races.

Tito put in a very strong performance, placing tenth with a time of 1’33”544, which translated into a fourth row start for the race, which ran over a distance of 21 laps.
Rabat made a very fast start to the race, the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider immediately getting into a strong rhythm which allowed him to stick with the chasing group, lapping in around tenth place. Unfortunately, a crash, which came on the very last lap, prevented him from scoring what would have been his best result of the season. Result aside, Tito has confirmed the excellent progress being made with the bike and has proved he can fight inside the top ten.

For this Misano round, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing is running the historic ELF livery on its bike to mark the partnership between Total Italia and the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and consolidate what is a strong professional relationship.

The Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider will be back out tomorrow for the Superpole Race and Race 2, which will conclude this fourth WorldSBK round.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Superbike World Championship

Superpole: 1) Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Gardner (Yamaha) – 4) Lowes (Ducati) – 5) Bautista (Ducati) – 6) Locatelli (Yamaha) ……… 10) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Race1 – 1) Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Bautista (Ducati) – 4) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 5) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 6) Gardner (Yamaha) ……… n.c) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “We had a really great Superpole, and I was on the verge of scoring a strong result in the race but unfortunately I crashed and couldn’t continue. We need to improve the electronics still, but I’m pleased with my bike and the team’s work. We just need to stay focused because I think we can do really well in tomorrow’s races.”

A second crash for Can Oncu in Race Two ends the Turkish rider’s weekend

The fourth WorldSSP round has concluded today at the Misano World Circuit. On Friday, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Can Oncu was very fast in Superpole, qualifying sixth. In Saturday’s Race 1, the Turkish rider made a good start, but unfortunately crashed on lap two and was unable to rejoin the race.

This afternoon, on a dry track and in hot, sunny conditions, Can lined up for the weekend’s second and final race. A poor start meant that the Turkish rider found himself twentieth, part of the chasing group. He did his best to make up the lost ground but unfortunately crashed on lap nine. Although Can was able to return to the track, he was relegated to last place. The race was then brought to an end with a red flag three laps ahead of time, while Oncu was lying twenty-ninth.

In this second race, Oncu’s bike again featured the historic ELF livery to mark the partnership between Total Italia and Manuel Puccetti’s team.
The next WorldSSP round will take place on 12-14 July at Donington Park in the UK.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Supersport World Championship
Race 2: 1) Huertas (Ducati) – 2) Montella (Ducati) – 3) Debise (Yamaha) – 4) Manzi (Yamaha) – 5) Navarro (Ducati) – 6) Schroetter (MV Agusta) ……….. 29) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu: “A race to forget. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a good start and in trying to catch up I had to push too hard and crashed. I tried to rejoin the race but then the red flag came out after a few laps, and I had to settle for twenty-ninth place. I’m really sorry because the team did a great job, and we had the potential to do well. We’ll make up for it at Donington.”

Two championship points for Tito Rabat in WorldSBK Race Two at Misano

The Misano World Circuit welcomed large crowds for this final day of action making up round four of the WorldSBK championship. This was a home round for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, an opportunity to meet with sponsors and fans. Yesterday, Tito Rabat put in an excellent performance in Superpole, finishing tenth. In Race 1, the Spaniard was unfortunately involved in a crash, right at the end of the race just as he was about to score his best result of the season so far.

This weekend, the ELF livery has adorned the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing bikes, marking the historic collaboration between Total Italia and Manuel Puccetti’s team.

This morning, Rabat was out for the Superpole Race, which ran over a distance of ten laps. Having got away well, Tito maintained a good rhythm and crossed the line fifteenth.

In Race 2, which ran in the afternoon, the Spanish Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider scored a fourteenth-place finish, scoring two championship points as a result.
The next round of the WorldSBK championship will run on 12-14 July at the British track of Donington Park.

Misano World Circuit – Misano – Italy
Superbike World Championship

Superpole Race: 1) Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 4) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 5) Iannone (Ducati) – 6) Bassani (Kawasaki) …… 15) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Race 2 – 1) Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Bautista (Ducati) – 4) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 5) Locatelli (Yamaha) – 6) Petrucci (Ducati) ……… 15) Rabat (Kawasaki)

Tito Rabat: “I’m not pleased with our results this weekend, because our expectations were higher. Unfortunately, we’ve had to deal with a few issues that only arose over the last few days and that prevented us from exploiting all our hard work. We’re definitely more competitive than we were at the start of the season, but with a little luck we can do even more. My team and I continue to give it our all, and so I’m sure we can achieve strong results already next time out at Donington.”