Axel Bassani

After making his professional racing debut in the 2016 WorldSSP championship, Axel Bassani split time across both that and the Moto2 series in 2017. Not a full-time rider in either category - competed in just two WorldSSP races and four in Moto2 that season - Bassani had to wait three years for his first full world championship campaign (2020).

The young Italian raced for Yamaha during the 2020 WorldSSP season as he went on to claim a best of eighth during the penultimate race at Estoril. While it was Bassani’s best result of the season, it was far from his best race finish in the Supersport class after he achieved a fourth and fifth during the final two rounds of 2016. 

Following his 2020 season Bassani was signed to WorldSBK where he competed for Motocorsa Ducati. The 22 year-old was one of the better rookies the class has seen in recent seasons after he finished the year ninth.  

During the first half of the year Bassani recorded a best result of fifth in race one at the new Autodrom Most circuit (round 6), however, he soon bettered that by taking a maiden podium at round nine in Catalunya. After battling with eventual 2021 world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu for much of the race, Bassani looked set to take victory after the Yamaha rider suffered a mechanical issue. 

That was before fellow Ducati rider Scott Redding found late pace and managed to overtake the Italian rider with three laps remaining.

Bassani finished out the season with an impressive 11 top tens in 12 races, which could be the springboard he needs to firstly become a consistent podium contender, before going on and challenging for a factory ride in 2023. Bassani is staying with the Motocrosa Ducati team in 2022.