Fores returns to World Superbikes with Puccetti Kawasaki

Xavi Fores will return to the World Superbike championship with Puccetti Kawasaki in 2020.

The Spanish rider has spent this season competing for Honda in the Bennetts British Superbike championship after losing his WorldSBK ride at Barni Ducati at the end of 2019.

Honda Racing
Honda Racing

Xavi Fores will return to the World Superbike championship with Puccetti Kawasaki in 2020.

The Spanish rider has spent this season competing for Honda in the Bennetts British Superbike championship after losing his WorldSBK ride at Barni Ducati at the end of 2019.

After ending the year ninth in the BSB riders’ standings with the highlight of four rostrums and one pole position, Fores have forged his way back into the international series with Puccetti Kawasaki.

Fores effectively replaces the Yamaha-bound Toprak Razgatlioglu at Puccetti and is relishing the opportunity having seen the Turkish rider end this year as top Independent rider and fifth in the overall riders’ standings.

“I am really happy to re-join WorldSBK with the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team for next season,” Fores said. “Manuel and Kawasaki have built a very strong team in the last few seasons and it was very easy to make a deal with them.

“The bike is very strong and I think it can suit my riding style very well, so I was pushing hard to close the deal with Manuel. I can’t wait to jump on the bike and start to work hard to prepare for next season to make sure we start Round 1 in Australia with a strong package and in good shape.

“I want to thank Kawasaki Europe for their big effort and their support, and I also want to thank Manuel for his trust in me.”

“Our goal is to win, it is always to try to win; it is not easy, but we will try to do it again next season,” Manuel Puccetti added. “I think we can do a very good season with Xavi, as he should be very, very fast with the Kawasaki.

“The package we had with Toprak this season already shows the level of our bike. Xavi is very fast and very consistent in all conditions and I believe he is the perfect rider for us. I think with his experience, he can adapt very fast and we’ve scheduled many tests already.

“It is difficult to say now whether he will be fast like Toprak this season, but in two or three rounds, he will be very strong. I think he will be very excited to join this package.”

Fores has notched up six rostrum results during his World Superbike career and finished seventh place in both the 2017 and 2018 championships.

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