The Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team has spent the past week in southern Spain. Vice world champion Stefano Manzi and new addition to the team Glenn van Straalen spent two days at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto and two days at the Andalucía circuit in preparation for the World Supersport season that starts next month.

After the World Supersport season concluded at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in October 2023, Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing returned to the southern Spanish circuit with a new livery and a new rider. Here, alongside many other teams from the World Superbike paddock, the first meters of 2024 were completed. Stefano Manzi found his pace straight away and was very fast throughout the two days. The Italian clocked the fastest lap time of all WorldSSP riders and even dipped below the lap record.

Glenn van Straalen also started well on his first season with the Nieuwleusen-based team. Although the Yamaha YZF-R6 is a familiar machine for the rider from Hoogkarspel, it was mainly a matter of getting to know his new team and the working method used within the most successful team in the history of the World Supersport championship.

After two positive days in Jerez, the team headed east for another two days of testing at the Andalucía circuit. As the riders had already gotten up to speed in Jerez, this gave the team a chance to test the developments prepared in winter on the track. While Manzi was again immediately fast, Van Straalen made impressive steps forward.

Mid-way through February, Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing will travel to Australia to take part in the official two-day test at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on the 19^th and 20^th of February. The following weekend, from 23 to 25 February, the first round of the 2024 World Supersport Championship will be held at the same circuit in southern Australia.

Stefano Manzi: “After two great days at Jerez we have also had two very good days at the Andalucía circuit. The weather has been amazing throughout so we could do many laps and try a lot of things, that was very nice for both myself and the team. In general we have had two great tests so from here on it’s a matter of training in preparation of Phillip Island. There we will have two more test days before the 2024 season starts with the first race weekend of the year. I cannot wait to go to Australia.”

Glenn van Straalen: “We have had two good days at the Andalucía circuit and were able to build on what we did at Jerez. I feel more and more at home with the team and have a bit more confidence. I’m very happy with the speed we showed during these days and I think we can connect the dots in Australia. Then we’ll be ready to start the season, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Kervin Bos – Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing team manager: “We have had four excellent days of testing in the south of Spain and I think we can be very satisfied with the work done. The two days in Jerez were extremely positive, especially considering Stefano’s lap time was faster than the lap record. He had the pace right from the first lap. For Glenn, Jerez was an introduction to the whole team. There he got to know our way of working and it was a matter of integrating him into the team.

After Jerez, we went on to Andalucía and there we had a lot of test work planned. There we were riding without a stopwatch, so to speak, and it was important to properly evaluate the differences. Stefano and Glenn did a huge amount of work there with Glenn eventually making very big strides. I am very satisfied with the performance of both riders, I think we are better prepared than ever.

The people in the Ten Kate Racing workshop and those at Ten Kate Racing Products have worked hard over the winter and together with all the existing and new partners they have made this possible. We can’t wait to be at the start in Australia next month.”