“This showed our capacity”: Axel Bassani ends UK WorldSBK turnaround with a fourth

Having been 13th on Friday, Axel Bassani recovered his weekend to finish as the top non-Ducati rider and in fourth place in Race 2.

Fourth marked Bassani’s best result of the season since his podiums at Phillip Island at round one, and he took it by passing Alex Lowes towards the end of the race as the British rider’s tyre fell away.

After the tough start, Bassani was pleased with the end of the weekend, feeling it showed a degree of effectiveness in the working methods of his side of the Bimota box when things aren’t going their way.

“It’s been, in general, a really positive Sunday, but also the weekend,” said Axel Bassani after Race 2 at Donington.

“We started [with] some problems. We changed something on the bike and we started from P13 on Friday, and every session we started to be more near to the front.

“Today, this morning, we made a little change to the front of the bike and started to work much better, and I felt really good on the bike – especially this morning in the Superpole Race – and I’ve been able to go more near to Alex [Lowes] that was, here, more strong than me. 

“In the end, we arrived at the front, so I think this showed our capacity to continue to work also in the difficult moments, and it’s what I’m more happy about the team, how we worked during the weekend. 

“It was not easy, especially after Misano, to lose a P3 in the last four laps – it’s not easy for everyone, especially for us that we are struggling in the middle of Ducati. 

“But today we did a really good job and we did what we were able to do. This is the maximum, so I’m happy.”

Next up for WorldSBK is the summer break, which lasts until the beginning of September when the French Round will kick off the final part of the season. There are no tests currently planned for Bimota during the summer, and Bassani would prefer the next race was a bit sooner.

“Seven weeks is too much of holiday, I think,” he said.

“Now I’m feeling good on the bike – was good also two weeks [of holiday] and continue. Seven weeks is too much!”