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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

27 Říjen 2018

Contrasting Fortunes In WorldSSP Season Finale

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders Hikari Okubo and Hector Barbera had very different outcomes after the last race of the 2018 WorldSSP season at Losail International Circuit. Barbera was a season-best seventh and Okubo an unlucky faller. 

After many delays and the possibility of there being no race at all after extreme weather events earlier in the day, the WorldSSP race was shortened to 12 laps and not the planned 15.
 
With rivulets of water on the surface in a few sections of the track the race got underway at 18.45, instead of the planned 17.30.
 
At turn two on the first lap Okubo’s bike developed a technical problem when the drive chain appeared to jump the sprockets and he fell, no scoring but escaping with bumps and bruises.
 
Barbera, at a circuit he knows well from his MotoGP days, pushed as hard as he could and was top Kawasaki rider, in a personal best seventh place. Starting from tenth on the grid, he was just 6.709 seconds from the race winner.
 
In the overall championship Okubo slipped one place to 13th at the end of the season, while Barbera was 17th, improving on his best race finishes at all four of the rounds he has competed in.
 
Hikari Okubo, stated: “There was a problem with the bike, not my mistake. So it was a disappointing way to end the season.”
 
Hector Barbera stated: “My race today was better and my feeling at this round was better. This track is a good one for me because I have raced here for many years. But it was difficult to battle with some other bikes. All race I pushed and pushed but it was impossible to finish any nearer the front. I am happy. Congratulations to the team because they worked very well. My feeling is good because seventh position is not bad.”
 
Christian Stange (Team GoEleven) scored points for 14th today, while Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) placed 15th and got on the championship scoreboard. Javier Ezequiel Iturrioz (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) and Glenn van Straalen (EAB antwest Kawasaki) did not finish the Losail race.
 
 
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