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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

29 september 2021

Portimao Next Kawasaki WorldSSP Stop

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders Philipp Öttl and Can Öncü will shortly compete in their third WorldSSP round in three weekends as the championship approaches the final European-based event at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, near Portimao in Portugal. Track action will take place between 1-3 October, with race days on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 October.

At the previous round last weekend in Spain Öttl collected his 11th career WorldSSP podium finish with a strong and confident second place.

Philipp had taken his first ever career Superpole qualifying ‘win’ at Jerez. His strong performances in both qualifying and race scenarios last weekend are pushing his ambitions forward again in the approach to what will be the second Portuguese round of the season.

Öttl has scored seven podium places in all in 2021. With two long-haul rounds scheduled to end the season, he has several opportunities to add to his score before the end of the championship - starting in Portugal.

For 18-year-old Öncü the Portimao weekend will provide two more chances to add to his breakthrough first podium finish, taken at Magny Cours in France recently.

Can has led races this year and has shown he has the pace to compete right at the front on numerous occasions. Making a strong showing in qualifying will be the biggest aid in Öncü’s great desire to win a race before the season concludes.

Philipp’s second place finish at Jerez has put him back into third place in the championship rankings, with 217 points, while Can is tenth overall, with 113.

After the Portimao round WorldSSP will join WorldSBK in preparing for its first long-haul race of the season, scheduled to be held at the El Villicum in Argentina, between 15-17 October.

Philipp Öttl, stated: “We will see how things are in Portimao for the next round. It is a very difficult track but they resurfaced it last year so I think it is a little bit less bumpy. I hope they managed that. I am positive about it. We will check things race-by-race now although I thought we could win the race at Jerez last weekend. Portimao is a completely different track from Jerez.”

Can Öncü, stated: “The Portimao track is a tough one, but I like it. Last year, I didn’t achieve the desired results, but with the help of my team, I’m sure we can score good results. It will be important to work well on Friday and find a good set-up for my Ninja ZX-6R right away, but overall I’m confident ahead of the Portuguese round.”

Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) has put in some podium level rides in 2021 and hopes to do so again as he chases his first ever win in this category of racing at Portimao.

Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) will try to score more championship points as Shogo Kawasaki (G.A.P. Motozoo Racing by Puccetti Kawasaki) try to score his first of the season.

                                           #NinjaSpirit