Bassani Close To The Podium Fi...

A strong opening race for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team in the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship season saw Axel Bassani finish fourth and his team-mate Alex Lowes seventh at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in Australia.

bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (BbKRT) rider Bassani had started the 22-lap Race One from fifth place on the grid, one place behind his team-mate Lowes, who had been fourth overall in the earlier Superpole Qualifying contest.

Alex and Axel’s qualifying performances put them on the second row of the starting grid, with eventual race winner Nicolo Bulega starting from pole position, one row ahead.

At the beginning of the race, which had no stop/start element due to mandatory tyre changes this season, both Lowes and Bassani were holding leading positions. Lowes’s pace started to slow after a few laps and would eventually finish in seventh place.

Bassani was making forward progress for much of the race but was penalised to drop one place after an overtaking manoeuvre at T4, and he had to fight back all the more to regain track position.

Axel eventually closed in on the third-placed rider in the final few corners, then tried to get past on the main straight on the final lap. Axel was finally fourth, but just 0.036 seconds from what would have been his first podium finish on the KB998 Rimini machine.

The action on the first Raceday at PI was held in dry and sunny conditions, both through Superpole Qualifying and then into a first race that featured track temperatures of 42°C.

Now the BbKRT pairing will take part in a ten-lap Superpole Race, and a final 22-lap WorldSBK Race Two, on Sunday 22 February.

Alex Lowes stated: “We changed the bike a little bit for FP3 today and I felt strong on the bike. I had a bit more confidence on the front, but it was not something we had tried over distance. I had a good start in the race, good confidence for maybe three laps, but then I just went backwards. It was a difficult race from this point of view, but I did the best I could and I have good information for tomorrow. We will work hard in warm-up and then we will have two more chances on Sunday to improve on today’s result.”

Axel Bassani stated: “I think we have to be really happy about the result. This was one of the best races I have had here in Australia and 100% it was my best race with the bimota KB998 Rimini. I was really happy about my speed, and I was feeling really good on the bike from the beginning to the end. We recovered a lot of positions and arrived really near to the podium at the end. I tried everything to arrive on the podium, but on the last lap unless you feel stronger than the rider in front, it could all be for nothing. I think if I had tried something it was maybe too dangerous, and easier to lose everything than gain something. I did try on the last corner and the last straight but it was impossible. But, I tried and we arrived really, really close to the podium. I think the team and I have to be happy and positive, especially for tomorrow.”