Axel Bassani: Satellite MotoGP team is a “real factory team” - WorldSBK not the same
Axel Bassani claims he is not on identical machinery to factory Ducati WorldSBK riders Alvaro Bautista and Michael Ruben Rinaldi.
The Italian, who remains a contender for the second Aruba.it Ducati seat in 2024, says that differences between factory and satellite machines are extensive in WorldSBK, unlike MotoGP.
Bassani was referencing Pramac Ducati and the bike Jorge Martin is on when asked why satellite teams enjoy so much more success than satellite teams in WorldSBK.
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The last Grand Prix winner on a satellite bike was Martin at Sachsenring, three weeks ago, whereas in WorldSBK you have to add years after the three, not weeks.
"It’s possible but I don’t know why [satellite teams don’t win more often]. The level in Superbike is really high, and for the moment, Alvaro has a different pace.
"He is the best rider with the best bike. It is impossible to beat him at the moment. For the rest of the season we will see.
"Ducati satellite team in MotoGP is a ‘real’ factory team. Here I don’t know. It’s not the same. Starting from the exhaust it is not the same.
"In my team, the bike is a really nice bike. But it is not the same as the factory bike. Michael says it’s the same. For him it is the same for us it is not."
Bassani claims Donington Park can be strong WorldSBK venue for Ducati
The only circuit currently on the calendar where world champion Bautista is yet to win at in WorldSBK, Bassani expects that to change come this weekend’s races.
Asked if he thinks Ducati could struggle, Bassani said: "It’s a normal circuit. I think that Alvaro will be in the top three. I think first, because Alvaro, for the moment, is on another level. I think that tomorrow it will be a normal track for Ducati."
If Bassani does get his wish, which is to join the factory Ducati team, he will have done after being linked with Kawasaki who decided to keep Alex Lowes alongside Jonathan Rea.
Talking about missing out on a potential factory seat, Bassani joked: "I was happy for him [Lowes]. He’s a good guy, a good rider and it’s ok.
"He’s the factory Kawasaki rider and he continues that way."
