Friday 

Continual progress for Mahias in free practice at Most

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and its rider Lucas Mahias has completed the first day of practice making up round six of the Superbike World championship at Most in the Czech Republic.
The French rider has never ridden at this track, as he was injured last year when the Superbikes raced at Most for the first time and so, during today’s first session, Lucas focused on gaining confidence around the track. With a time of 1’33”760, he finished in sixteenth position.
During the afternoon’s FP2, Mahias improved by more than half a second (1’33”173) ad moved up into fourteenth place.
Tomorrow morning the Frenchman will take part in the final practice before lining up for the Superpole and first Superbike race later in the day.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Superbike World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Redding (BMW) – 3) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 4) Bautista (Ducati) – 5) Rea (Kawasaki) ……. 14) Mahias (Kawasaki)

Lucas Mahias

“This was my first ever experience of this track. This morning I struggled but then I started to adapt in the afternoon’s session. The track isn’t at all easy, because you only need to mess up one corner to compromise an entire lap. I’m pleased with what we’ve done today, though we still have a lot of work ahead of us and I need to improve particularly in sector 1. Tomorrow’s forecast gives rain and if that’s the case, it’ll be something of an unknown because I’ve not only never raced at this track in the wet, but I’ve also hardly ever competed in wet races since coming to Superbike so I don’t really know what to expect. Anyway, the conditions will be the same for everyone and so I’ll do the best I can, just as I always do.”

Saturday

Oncu close to the front in practice as Montella quickly learns the Most track

With this morning’s first free practice, the sixth round of the WorldSSP championship is now underway at the Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic.
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders, Can Oncu and Yari Montella, experienced different sensations. While the former knows the track after having competed here last year, Montella has no experience of the winding layout. He therefore spent the first session working to adapt his bike and riding style to the Most track. With a time of 1’36”198, Oncu closed eleventh, while a best of 1’36”565 saw Montella place seventeenth.
During the second free practice, both Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders were able to improve on their times. With a 1’35”431, the Turk moved into sixth place, while Montella climbed to thirteenth thanks to a fastest time of 1’36”011. Encouraging results ahead of Saturday, when the two Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider will compete in Superpole and the first of the weekend’s races.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Supersport World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Aegerter (Yamaha) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Caricasulo (Ducati) – 4) Baldassarri (Yamaha) – 5) Debise (Yamaha) – 6) Oncu (Kawasaki) ………13) Montella (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu

“It wasn’t an easy day, but we worked well and, considering it’s only Friday, we’re not far from the front. We’re ready for Superpole and the first race of the weekend and if it rains as it’s expected to, the conditions will be the same for everyone and so we’ll see how best to deal with the conditions tomorrow.”

Yari Montella

“I can’t complain seeing as this is my first visit to the track, also because it’s tougher than I expected. The turns are all connected so if you mess up one, you also mess up the next ones. Compared to the morning, I improved both my pace and flying lap performance during the afternoon. We’re not at the same level as the frontrunners yet of course, but we’re moving closer. If it rains, we’ll have to see how the track is, but that definitely won’t change our level of motivation and desire to do well.”

Saturday

Mahias twelfth in WorldSBK race one at Most

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and rider Lucas Mahias have completed day two of practice and qualifying making up the sixth WorldSBK round at Most in the Czech Republic.
Yesterday, the Frenchman made the most of free practice, getting to grips with a track he’s never raced at before and finishing the two sessions in fourteenth place, with a time of 1’33”173.
This morning, having seen the part wet track conditions due to overnight rain, Lucas chose not to take part in the third and final practice and therefore rounding out the combined practices in fourteenth position.
Later in the morning it was time for Superpole, which establishes the grid positions for the weekend’s races. Mahias put in an excellent performance, improving on his previous best by almost a second. With a time of 1’32”272, Lucas finished tenth, earning himself a sport on the fourth row of the grid for race 1, which ran over a distance of 22 laps.
Lucas didn’t make the fastest start but after a few laps, once he’d got into his rhythm, the Frenchman was able to make up places and cross the line twelfth, adding more points to his overall championship tally.
Tomorrow will see Mahias lining up for the Superpole Race and Race 2, which will conclude this sixth WorldSBK round.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Superbike World Championship
Combined free practice results: 1) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Redding (BMW) – 3) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 4) Bautista (Ducati) – 5) Rea (Kawasaki) ……. 14) Mahias (Kawasaki).

Superpole: 1) Rea (Kawasaki) – 2) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 4) Bautista (Ducati) – 5) Lowes (Kawasaki) – 6) Gerloff (Yamaha)…………10) Mahias (Kawasaki)

Race 1: 1) Bautista (Ducati) – 2) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 3) Redding (BMW) – 4) Rea (Kawasaki) – 5) Bassani (Ducati) – 6) Locatelli (Yamaha) ……. 12) Mahias (Kawasaki)

Lucas Mahias

“The bike is better compared to yesterday, but we still have problems through the first sector. I was quick in Superpole and scored a good tenth-place finish, but I didn’t make a great start to Race 1 unfortunately, losing several positions. Once I found my rhythm, I was able to make up ground and then picked up the pace in the final stages to successfully fend off attacks from some of my rivals. So a strong finish, which leaves me feeling confident ahead of tomorrow. We’ll try to do better in both the sprint race and Race 2. Thanks to my team for all their hard work.”

An unlucky race one for Oncu and Montella at WorldSSP Most

The second day of WorldSSP practice and qualifying at Most in the Czech Republic got underway under cloudy skies and on a track that was still wet following rain overnight.
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders Can Oncu and Yari Montella were lying sixth (1’35”431) and thirteenth (1’36”011) by the end of yesterday’s practices. Note that this is Yari’s first experience of this track.
Today, the duo was back on track in the late morning for Superpole, a session that established grid positions for the weekend’s two races. The brief qualifying was conditioned by a red flag that came out just four minutes before the end. Once the session restarted, Montella was able to make the most of the remaining time and close seventh with a best of 1’35”416, while Oncu finished twelfth with a 1’35”685.
With these results, the Italian lined up on row three and the Turk from row four for the afternoon’s 19-lap race.
The race was decided immediately after the start, at turn one in fact, when several riders, including Montella and Oncu, were involved in a collision. The Italian’s bike was damaged in the crash and he was unable to continue. The Turkish rider was able to stay upright but Race Direction penalised him with a ride through penalty, which obviously compromised his race. Can nevertheless crossed the line, albeit in twenty-first position.
In the championship standings, Oncu lies fourth with 99 points, while Montella is sixth with 75.
Tomorrow, the two Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders will line up for the weekend’s second and final WorldSSP race.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Supersport World Championship

Superpole: 1) Baldassarri (Yamaha) – 2) Caricasulo (Ducati) – 3) Bulega (Ducati) – 4) Aegerter (Yamaha) – 5) Verdoia (Yamaha) – 6) Van Straalen (Yamaha) – 7) Montella (Kawasaki) ……….12) Oncu (Kawasaki)

Race 1 – 1) Baldassarri (Yamaha) – 2) Manzi (Triumph) – 3) Odendaal (Yamaha) – 4) Debise (Yamaha) – 5) Van Straalen – 6) Tuuli (MV Agusta) …….. 21) Oncu (Kawasaki) – n.c. Montella (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu

“The bike was perfect and we tried to do our best, but unfortunately I was handed a ride through penalty. Because of this I lost so much time and couldn’t reach the points, finishing twenty-first. I am a little angry, but I want to say good luck to everybody for tomorrow’s race.”

Yari Montella

“Unfortunately, my race only lasted a few hundred metres. Another rider arrived at the first chicane too fast and as a result I was hit by some other riders and crashed. I was unable to continue my race. Luckily, I’m not hurt but I’m really sorry for the team as they’ve worked so hard over the last two days. Fortunately we have another race straight away tomorrow.”

Sunday

Best result of the season for Mahias in WorldSBK race two

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing and its rider Lucas Mahias have competed in the final two races making up the sixth WorldSBK round at Most in the Czech Republic.
Yesterday, the French rider took part in Superpole, concluding in tenth place, and Race 1, in which he crossed the line twelfth. Today, in cool and sunny conditions, Lucas lined up for the Superpole Race and Race 2.
In the first, a sprint race that runs over a distance of just ten laps, Mahias started from the fourth row, having qualified tenth in yesterday’s Superpole. He didn’t make the fastest start, the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing lying fifteenth through the opening laps. Lucas was then able to up his pace though and climb up the field as far as twelfth.
Mahias made a better start to the second race and was soon up into eleventh place. With very fast pace, Lucas avoided mistakes and made up another two places to cross the line ninth, his best result of the season so far.
The next Superbike World Championship round will run on 9-11 September at Magny-Cours in France.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Superbike World Championship
Superpole Race: 1) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 2) Rea (Kawasaki) – 3) Bautista (Ducati) – 4) Rinaldi (Ducati) – 5) Bassani (Ducati) – 6) Locatelli (Yamaha)……. 12) Mahias (Kawasaki)

Race 2: 1) Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) – 2) Bautista (Ducati) – 3) Rea (Kawasaki) – 4) Redding (BMW) – 5) Bassani (Ducati) – 6) Locatelli (Yamaha) ……….. 9) Mahias (Kawasaki)

Lucas Mahias

“My position in race 2 was very positive and right now I think it’s the best we can do. We still have some problems to solve in terms of the front of the bike, but we’re working well with the team and my feeling with the bike has improved, so I’m confident ahead of the next races. My physical condition’s better than it was at Donington, and during the summer break I’ll be sure to continue with my training. The next round is on home turf, at Magny-Cours, and I want to do well there. Thanks to my team for all their work here at Most.”

Oncu fourth in WorldSSP race 2. A crash for Montella.

Conditions were cool and sunny at the Most circuit in the Czech Republic today, where the second and final race making up the sixth Supersport World Championship round has now concluded.
Race 1 took place yesterday, but it proved disappointing for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders, Can Oncu and Yari Montella. A crash at the first chicane as the race got started involved several riders, Montella included, the Italian unable to continue. Oncu got through this first chicane unscathed but was later penalised by Race Direction with a ride through penalty, which comprised his race, the Turk ultimately closing in twenty-first place.
Yesterday’s Superpole results meant that Yuri once again lined up on the third row of the grid and Can on the fourth for the second 19-lap race.
Montella made a strong start and was straight up into fourth, while Oncu followed in seventh. Over the subsequent laps, the pair exchanged places and it was soon the Turk who was lying fourth, with the Italian close behind in sixth. Unfortunately, during the course of lap nine, Montella suffered a crash that put an end to his race, while Oncu climbed to third. The Turk held this position until the sixteenth lap when he was passed by another rider. On the very next lap, Race Direction brought out the red flag following a crash and so the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider had no chance to recover the position he’d lost and was classified fourth.
In the championship standings, Oncu places fourth with 112 points, while Montella is seventh with 75,
The next Supersport World Championship round will run over the weekend of 9-11 September at Magny-Cours in France.

Autodrom Most – Czech Republic – Supersport World Championship
Race 2: 1) Baldassarri (Yamaha) – 2) Bulega (Ducati) – 3) Manzi (Triumph) – 4) Oncu (Kawasaki) – 5) Sofuoglu (MV Agusta) – 6) Caricasulo (Ducati) ……… n.c.) Montella (Kawasaki)

Can Oncu

“I tried my best in what was a very difficult race. I don’t think we did a bad job. I will try to improve on this position in the next race, but this was the most I could do at the moment. Now we’ll see what we can do in the next round after the summer break.”

Yari Montella

“A tough race, in which we suffered right from the start. It was hard to manage the tyre wear in the heat and if I up my pace, I risk a crash, which is what happened today. We need to understand how we can fix this problem. As for the crash, I lost grip at the front but luckily didn’t hurt myself. Thanks to my team for all their help this weekend.”