K for Kawasaki: the real championship fight begins now!
The Japanese manufacturer is facing their biggest challenge this year. Watch as their “Ninja Spirit” will bring out their best during the second part of the season!!!
Before the start of the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in Australia, back at the end of February this year, it was still hard to believe that the Kawasaki ZX-10RR of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) could be defeated at some point.
Curtains fell on the 2018 season, with the newly crowned Reigning World Champion taking his 11th consecutive win on the green machine at the final round of the year, equaling a winning streak record in a single campaign that only Doug Polen was able to achieve in the past. With such a wealth, the Japanese marque went on to win the best manufacturer title in WorldSBK for the fourth consecutive time since 2015, putting them among the top motorcycle manufacturers in the world.
But, as the 2019 season continues, it has now become clear that for Kawasaki, the charge for their 5th title in a row could be one of the biggest challenges that they have ever faced, and that this year they also have to deal with the strongest rival they have ever met before.
Equaling the same record as the Japanese manufacturer, the all-new Ducati Panigale V4 R tamed by Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) fashionably hit the WorldSBK stage this year, taking 11 consecutive victories in the first 11 races held in 2019, and with no doubt, they are now aiming for more.
But bringing back the title to Bologna, will not be an easy job for the Italian factory team. Kawasaki is still there, and Jonathan Rea has proved it by bringing his “green lime” machine on the podium at each race held so far and by stopping Bautista’s dominance in Imola (Ducati’s home round) bringing back Kawasaki on the highest step of the rostrum twice in Italy.
“Gambarou”, (which in Japanese means facing difficulties with a smile and keep pushing harder in whatever challenges life presents), is the 2019 Kawasaki’s motto and with that in mind, the Japanese manufacturer will now head into the second part of the season ready to continue their championship charge.
The battle for the 2019 manufacturer title is more than open, and for sure Kawasaki has not given it all yet, and maybe we should be prepared to assist to their greatest battles this year after the summer break! Don’t miss the fight between the 2019 manufacturer championship leader Ducati and the four-time reigning world champion Kawasaki in the remainder of the 2019 WorldSBK season!
Lots of racing actions with surprising and unexpected outcomes lay before us. Follow them with the WorldSBK VideoPass, now 50% off!!
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R for Rebellion – Riders born to defy expectations
L for Luck – Fortune favours the brave in WorldSBK!
D for Ducati – The ‘Anti-Rea’ master plan
