Axel Bassani hoping to gauge Bimota pace against WorldSBK rivals at Jerez test

Bimota’s Axel Bassani is aiming to measure the performance of the new KB998 motorcycle against its WorldSBK rivals at this week’s Jerez test.

Bimota ended its first WorldSBK first and second on the timesheets back in November, but many riders didn’t take part in the test which took place after the final round of the 2024 season, and others only rode the first day.

As a result, while the first impression from the new Bimota machine was positive overall, it has not yet been completely validated, something with the Italian Bassani is hoping to correct this week when WorldSBK returns to Jerez for the first test of the new calendar year.

“Now we will start to work on the track again,” Bassani said ahead of this week’s test.

“I think we can start from the same point that we finished last year, in November, with a fast pace and some fast laps.

“For sure we need to improve but this will be the first test of the new year so we have to restart well and try to understand what we have improved in the winter.

“I think almost all the WorldSBK riders will be at this test, so that will be good for us. In the previous tests we were fast – first and second in the times – but some riders were not there.

“We will see everyone on the same track at the same moment soon. We will try to understand what point we are at and where we can improve.”

Not all of the WorldSBK riders will be in Jerez this week, as HRC’s Iker Lecuona, and reigning WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu miss out through injury.

However, with Razgatlioglu’s BMW teammate Michael van der Mark, both factory Ducatis and all six of the satellite Panigales, plus the factory Yamaha team, there should be a strong enough field in Jerez this week to more accurately gauge where Bimota currently is with the development of its KB998.